The Spiritual Global Network

Summer 2013, Volume 9, Number 2

The Esoteric Quarterly An independent publication dedicated to the trans-disciplinary investigation of the esoteric spiritual tradition. ______Esoteric philosophy and its applications to individual and group service and the expansion of human consciousness.

Washington, DC, USA. www.esotericsquarterly.com e-mail: [email protected]

The Esoteric Quarterly

The Esoteric Quarterly is an online, peer-reviewed, international journal, published by The Esoteric Quarterly Inc., a non-profit corporation based in Washington, DC. It is registered as an online journal with the National Serials Data Program of the Library of Congress. International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) 1551-3874.

Further information about The Esoteric Quarterly, including guidelines for the submission of articles and review procedures, can be found at http://www.esotericsquarterly.com. All correspondence should be addressed to [email protected].

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief: Donna M. Brown (United States) Editor Emeritus: John F. Nash (United States)

Alison Deadman (United States) Gail G. Jolley (United States) Jef Bartow (United States) Katherine O'Brien (New Zealand) Kevin Hataley (Canada) Susan Hamilton (United States)

Copies of the complete journal or articles contained therein may be made for personal use on condition that copyright statements are included. Commercial use or redistribution without the permission of The Esoteric Quarterly is strictly prohibited. Summer 2013

The Esoteric Quarterly

Contents Volume 9, Number 2. Summer 2013 ______

Page Page

Features Modern Science, Psychology 51 and the Enduring Mystery of Editorial 4 Consciousness: An Esoteric/ Mystical Critique, Part 1II Publication Policies 5 G.I. Gurdjieff and the Fourth Letter to the Editor 6 Way James Moffatt Poem of the Quarter: “Absolute 7 Conciosuness” by Bhagavan Sri Great Esotericists Ramana Maharshi Arthur Edward Waite Pictures of the Quarter: “Sacred 8 71 Circle,” “Enter the Hollow (18571942) Hills” and “Cycles,” by Helena The Three Spiritual Nelson-Reed Festivals Quotes of the Quarter 11 75 Advertisements 13 The Easter Festival: The Full Moon in Aries Articles The Wesak Festival: The One 80 Life, the One Humanity The Two Rivers of Life: 17 Radical and Evolutionary The Goodwill Festival: 83 Awakening, and the Trans- Goodwill Toward All Life Himalayan Tradition Jonathan Darall-Rew Book Review The Path to Higher States of 37 Take Your Time: The Wisdom 91 Consciousness as Perceived in of Slowing Down the Upanishads, the Yoga by Eknath Easwaran Sutras, and the Books of Alice A. Bailey Iván Kovács

The mission of the Esoteric Quarterly is to traditions. We also encourage feedback from provide a forum for the exploration of esoteric readers. Comments of general interest will be philosophy and its applications. Full-length published as Letters to the Editor. All articles and student papers are solicited communications should be sent to: pertaining to both eastern and western esoteric [email protected].

Editorial Pathways to Higher Consciousness

he science of consciousness is among transformation, which has qualified the first T several crucial factors residing at the core and second phases of the Trans-Himalayan of humanity’s all-enduring spiritual quest. The teaching, and the sudden and radical emphasis on consciousness in the spiritual, awakening to and identification with the One meditative and esoteric traditions of both East Life, which characterizes the practices of and West is based on two key concepts. The Dzogchen, Zen and other Non-Dual paths. In first is that there are many levels or scales of addition to expanding our comprehension of reality and consciousness in the universe. The the newest and most synthetic forms of second states that “it is the expansion of spirituality emerging today, Darral-Rew consciousness and the production of increased touches upon the significance of this “Great sensitivity and perceptive awareness, which is Path of Awakening” for the esoteric the goal of all divine and hierarchical effort.” community. Yet, it is only when humanity achieves an The second article, by Iván Kovács, presents understanding of the hidden and inter- an overview of the tiered and evolving levels dependent dimensions of consciousness that it of consciousness as they are understood in the can begin to acquire Self-knowledge, an Vedas, the work of Patanjali and the Ageless understanding of the divine pattern, and the Wisdom teachings of Alice A. Bailey. In order power to help regenerate and ennoble life. to familiarize the reader with the various Only by actualizing the untapped potential of degrees of consciousness as they are reflected the human mind and enlarging our awareness from the macrocosmic whole into the human to include both the macrocosmic and the microcosm, the author opens with a discussion microcosmic dimensions, can our personal and of the Human Constitution as it is presented in collective creativity be enhanced and directed Bailey’s work. Kovács draws upon numerous to planetary upliftment and transformation. passages from the Upanishads which focus on With these aims in mind, we offer three Self-realization and the relationship between articles that explore the multi-leveled, but the universal and individual Soul, as well as unified, field of consciousness. As such, they Bailey’s commentaries on the Yoga Sutras and suggest profound possibilities for awakened Raja Yoga. A section on the Antahkarana as a consciousness, enlightenment and ident- means of approach to the Spiritual Triad is ification based on the purifying, illuminating included. The article serves as a clear and unifying paths. introductory exposition of the different types of consciousness and the paths by which one Our first offering by Jon Darral-Rew, might awaken to the full spectrum of examines the two fundamental streams of consciousness from matter and the body, to spiritual awakening that have developed in the mind to soul and finally from soul to spirit. wisdom traditions of the East and West. These “two rivers of life,” as Darral-Rew terms them, Our last full length feature is the third in a are described as evolutionary and radical series of articles from James Moffatt on awakening. The article, which draws upon the modern psychology and the mysteries of works of Alice A. Bailey, Bruce Lyon, Ken consciousness. Based on the Fourth Way Wilbur and others, explores the confluence of teachings of George I. Gurdjieff, the article the Trans-Himalayan and Integral modalities in advances a conceptualization of human con- an effort to clarify the seemingly disparate and sciousness that is profoundly different from the poorly understood distinction between the restricted materialist views which dominate gradual and sequential process of evolutionary contemporary psychology and science. The

4 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 article begins with an overview of the issues We hope you enjoy the articles and other confronting consciousness researchers. Also features in this issue of the Esoteric Quarterly. included is a brief examination of Gurdjieff’s Please let us know what you think. early years, which reveals the enigmatic and Donna M. Brown controversial teacher to be a thoroughly [email protected]. dedicated seeker of Truth. In the sections that follow, the author proffers a detailed and lucid Publication Policies investigation of the structure of Gurdjieff's spiritual developmental psychology and his Articles are selected for publication in the complex and challenging cosmological Esoteric Quarterly because we believe they systems. His cogent exegesis, which will be represent a sincere search for truth, support the continued in an ensuing article, adds depth and service mission to which we aspire, and/or value to our understanding of the man and the contribute to the expansion of human Fourth Way path. consciousness. As part of the Quarterly’s continuing effort to Publication of an article does not necessarily recognize some of the “Great Esotericists of imply that the Editorial Board or the School the Past,” this issue includes a paper on the life for Esoteric Studies agrees with the views and work of Arthur Edward Waite, best expressed. Nor do we have the means to verify remembered as a prolific writer on Masonic all facts stated in published articles. and esoteric subjects and a co-creator of the We encourage critical thinking and analysis Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. Three additional from a wide range of perspectives and papers contributed by the School for Esoteric traditions. We discourage dogmatism or any Studies, focus on the Festivals of Easter, view that characterizes any tradition as having Wesak and Goodwill. Although this year’s greater truth than a competing system. festival period is now over, we thought our readers would like to read these talks on the Neither will we allow our journal to be used as three major spiritual festivals of 2013. Also a platform for attacks on individuals, groups, included in this issue is a book review—Take institutions, or nations. This policy applies to Your Time: the Wisdom of Slowing Down—by articles and features as well as to letters to the Eknath Easwaran. editor. In turn, we understand that the author of an article may not necessarily agree with the In keeping with the theme of this issue, we views, attitudes, or values expressed by a offer a poem—Absolute Consciousness—from referenced source. Indeed, serious scholarship Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950), sometimes requires reference to work that an one of the greatest Indian sages of the author finds abhorrent. We will not reject an twentieth century. We are also pleased to article for publication simply on the grounds include three luminous watercolors from the that it contains a reference to an objectionable visionary artist, Helena Nelson-Reed, whose source. detailed and strikingly beautiful images derive from her explorations of archetypes, An issue of concern in all online journals is shamanism and myth. Each of the evocative potential volatility of content. Conceivably, works featured here—Sacred Circle, Enter the articles could be modified after the publication Hollow Hills and Cycles—focus on the date because authors changed their minds mystical realm of the Goddess and carry the about what had been written. Accordingly, we elevating breath and spirit of other dimensions. wish to make our policy clear: We reserve the For more information on the artist’s right to correct minor typographical errors, but watercolors and other work, we encourage you we will not make any substantive alteration to to visit: http://www.helenanelsonreed.com. an article after it “goes to press.”

The Esoteric Quarterly

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor: systemic, the nature and function of prana, and the make-up of the etheric body with specific After reading John Nash's article entitled “The information about the chakras and nadis. In Etheric Body,” I had to write to the Esoteric addition, he discusses the role of the etheric Quarterly to express my deep gratitude for this body in the processes of disease, healing, birth, extremely helpful article. I participate as a death, and the raising of the kundalini. There healing practitioner and teacher with a group are also sections of the article addressing called the “International Network of Esoteric healing therapies and the role of the etheric Healing”—“INEH.” This network's main body in spiritual development. project is the teaching of a healing course combining practical healing techniques and At the end of the article Mr. Nash writes, metaphysical theory based on the Tibetan's “What this article has tried to do, within its teaching. The founder, Brenda Johnston, was a length constraints, is to compile the teachings Bailey student herself, and back in the 1960s, (on the etheric body) into a coherent and she began a deep research of healing practices logical framework for the convenience of as put forth in the Bailey books. She just esoteric students, and especially for those who recently passed on at the respectable age of 96. may wish to do further research.” To help Through dedicated work with several other with further research, he has referenced each interested healers, she created the course called source in a comprehensive bibliography so that “Esoteric Healing.” interested readers can easily look up the fascinating and useful facts presented. This Over a period of 50 years, various members of article is an excellent source in itself for INEH have continued to research concepts and gaining a unified overview of the etheric body practices related to the etheric body, clarifying and as a starting off place for further and expanding this course for healing based on exploration. For me, many links were clarified the Tibetan's instructions and teachings. And and long standing questions answered. And I answers and links to certain questions have not plan on having copies available for future always been easily found. So it was with esoteric healing students and practitioners! amazement and delight that I read John Nash's article. Here in this article he guides the reader With gratitude and appreciation, to essential esoteric concepts relating to the Wendy Glaubitz nature of the etheric field—both cosmic and

Poem of the Quarter

“Absolute Consciousness” by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi

The Absolute Consciousness Alone Is our Real Nature. Your duty is to be, And not to be this or that. There are no stages in Realization, Or degrees of Liberation. There are no levels of Reality; There are only levels of experience For the individual. If anything can be gained That was not present before, It can also be lost, Whereas the Absolute is eternal, Here and now. It is not a matter of becoming, But of Being.

Remain aware of yourself And all else will be known. The ultimate truth is so simple; It is nothing more than being in one’s Natural, original state. There is no greater mystery than this: Being Reality ourselves, We seek to gain reality. It is false to speak of Realization; What is there to realize? The real is ever as it is. All that is required is To cease regarding as real That which is unreal. That is all we need To attain wisdom (jnana).

The Esoteric Quarterly

Pictures of the Quarter by Helena Nelson-Reed

Sacred Circle www.helenanelson-reed.com. Reproduction of all artwork is strictly prohibited without the expressed permission of the artist.

Enter the Hollow Hills www.helenanelson-reed.com. Reproduction of all artwork is strictly prohibited without the expressed permission of the artist.

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Cycles www.helenanelson-reed.com. Reproduction of all artwork is strictly prohibited without the expressed permission of the artist.

Quotes of the Quarter

______

t is not a question of the simple abolition of sense, a contraction that drives the intense I duality, but rather the sudden appearance of yearning for a tomorrow in which salvation a unity in the heart of the duality. One derives will finally arrive, but during which time, from this an important impression of a healthy, thank God, I can continue to be myself. The legitimate duality. From what I have heard, a greater the Great Search, the more I can deny number of teachings or approaches insist on a God. The greater the Great Search, the more I “nonduality.” Yet, if a “falsified” duality can feel my own sensation of seeking, which exists, there is also a completely legitimate defines the contours of myself. The Great duality that manifests itself not only in space Search is the great enemy of what is. but also in time. Ordinarily, there seems to be a Should we then simply cease the Great Search? lot of insistence on spatial duality—certainly Definitely, if we could. But the effort to stop there is that which separates me from the tree, the Great Search is itself more of the Great but there is also that which separates me from Search. The very first step presumes and what I was or what I will be, that which, for reinforces the seeking sensation. There is example, separates me from my death. After actually nothing the self-contraction can do to all, a man’s life is very important! My death is stop the Great Search, because the self- an object that is, in its way, more solid, and for contraction and the Great Search are two me more real than the tree that means little to names for the same thing. me! The duality is there; it manifests itself in time and space, and it is in space and time that If Spirit cannot be found as a future product of duality is either healthy or corrupt. In my the Great Search, then there is only one opinion, it is a grave tactical error to set people alternative: Spirit must be fully, totally, going in an assault against duality without completely present right now—AND you must clarifying the difference between a healthy be fully, totally, completely aware of it right duality and a corrupt one. They run as much now. It will not do to say that Spirit is present risk of hurting or even destroying themselves but I don't realize it. That would require the as they do of being saved. One cannot deny Great Search; that would demand that I seek a duality since it is the principle of life. tomorrow in which I could realize that Spirit is Certainly, a false duality that is the product of fully present, but such seeking misses the given individual’s mind should be destroyed. I present in the very first step. To keep seeking repeat and insist: duality, to the extent that it is would be to keep missing. No, the realization a duplicate of reality, a dreamlike and itself, the awareness itself: this, too, must personally fabricated reality, must be somehow be fully and completely present right ruthlessly destroyed. But when this veil, in now. If it is not, then all we have left is the the center of which we habitually evolve, is Great Search, doomed to presume that which it consumed, when this enormous subjective wishes to overcome. bubble bursts, what then is left? What will you There must be something about our present see once you are outside the bubble? The awareness that contains the entire truth. world, plainly and simply. There is something! Somehow, no matter what your state, you are There is me and the tree. Duality exists. immersed fully in everything you need for Stephen Jourdain, Radical Awakening: Cutting perfect enlightenment. You are somehow look- through the Conditioned Mind (Carlsbad, CA: ing right at the answer. One hundred percent of Inner Directions Foundation, 2011), 38. Spirit is in your perception right now. Not 20 percent, not 50 percent, not 99 percent, but literally 100 percent of Spirit is in your he Great Search is the loveless contraction awareness right now—and the trick, as it were, T hidden in the heart of the separate-self Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. 11

The Esoteric Quarterly is to recognize this ever-present state of affairs, material instruments, the senses, it is actually and not to engineer a future state in which formless Spirit. Spirit will announce itself. James Swartz, Knowledge of Truth (Portland, And this simple recognition of an already OR: Shinning World Publications. 2011), 19. present Spirit is the task, as it were, of the great Nondual traditions. ur whole experience is a construction in Ken Wilber, The Eye of the Spirit: An Integral O the mind, a form appearing in con- Vision for a World Gone Slightly Mad (Boston, sciousness. These mental forms are composed MA: Shambhala Publications, 2001), 291. not of physical substance but of “mindstuff.” We imagine that the world out there is like the forms that appear in consciousness, but it turns pirituality is a very important and natural out, that in nearly every aspect, the external is dimension of the human psyche, and the S not at all like the images created in the mind. spiritual quest is a legitimate and fully justified What appear to us as fundamental dimensions human endeavor. However, it is necessary to and attributes of the physical world—space, emphasize that this applies to genuine time, matter and energy—are but the spirituality based on personal experience and fundamental dimensions and attributes of the does not provide support for ideologies and forms appearing in consciousness. dogmas of organized religions. To prevent misunderstanding and confusion that in the Peter Russell, “The Primacy of past compromised many similar discussions, it Consciousness,” in Ervin Laszlo The Re- is critical to make a clear distinction between Enchantment of the Cosmos (Rochester, VT: spirituality and religion. Inner Traditions, 2006). Spirituality is based on direct experiences of ordinarily invisible numinous dimensions of ur apprehension of the One does not reality, which become available in holotropic O partake of the nature of either states of consciousness. It does not require a understanding or abstract thought as does special place or officially appointed persons knowledge of other intelligible objects, but has mediating contact with the divine. The mystics the character of presentation higher than do not need churches or temples. The context understanding. For understanding proceeds by in which they experience the sacred concepts, and the concept is a multiple affair dimensions of reality, including their own and the soul misses the One when she falls into divinity, is provided by their bodies and nature. number and plurality. She must then pass And instead of officiating priests, they need a beyond understanding. supportive group of fellow seekers or the Plotinus, Ennead VI (Burdett, NY: Larson). guidance of a teacher who is more advanced on the inner journey than they are themselves. atter is derived from mind, not mind Stanislav Grof, Science and Spirituality: M from matter. Observations from Modern Consciousness Padmasambhava, The Tibetan Book of the Research (http://dev.worldshiftmovement.org- Great Liberation, (Boston, Mass: Shambhala /science-spirituality). Publications Inc., 1975).

ccording to Vedanta the whole material ind is consciousness which has put on A universe is merely a finite wave in M limitations. You are originally unlimited Consciousness. Out of consciousness, it and perfect. Later you take on limitations and emerges, sustains itself for a few trillion years become the mind. and subsides back into it. Though it appears solid because we are perceiving it through Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879 –1950).

The Sacred Om by NgAng: http://www.ngangart.co.nz/

THE SPIRITUAL GLOBAL NETWORK oday we can discern a growing global network of people who are T becoming an increasingly potent force for transformation in human affairs. They are inclusive, not separative; they seem to be in touch with the “soul of humanity,” urging “a conspiracy of love,” as did paleontologist- priest Teilhard de Chardin. People aligned with this higher consciousness inevitably become trans- mitters of a wider vision, dedicated to the well-being of humanity. They are linked together by an attitude of mind and heart rather than by outer organization. A view of the deeper spiritual significance of this integrating group, including practical evidence of their work today, is offered in Building and Bridging: The New Group of World Servers, available from: School for Esoteric Studies 375 S. French Broad Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 Email: [email protected] - www.esotericstudies.net One copy is available free, but your US$5 donation is invited to help keep these publications in service.

The Esoteric Quarterly

Summer 2013

The Two Rivers of Life: Radical and Evolutionary Awakening, and the Trans-Himalayan Tradition

Jon Darrall-Rew

Abstract terms show up in Djwhal Khul’s teaching with Alice Bailey later, but first, here is how Bruce n a recent book, Bruce Lyon explores the Lyon defines these two forms of awakening: I two major forms of awakening that have been cultivated in the wisdom traditions of the Evolutionary awakening refers to the pro- East and West. The first is radical awakening, cess of initiation wherein self-conscious in- which involves awakening to Absolute Reality. dividuals gradually and sequentially experi- The second is evolutionary awakening, which ences themselves through transformation involves awakening to ever-wider spheres of becoming identified with subtler and more the relative, evolving cosmos. This article ex- inclusive levels of identity. Radical awak- plores these two forms of awakening and dis- ening occurs when self-conscious individuals suddenly and radically experience them- cusses their integration and contribution to the 7 Trans-Himalayan tradition. It considers how selves as the One Life. both forms have manifest in the first and sec- As is pointed to in this quote, radical awaken- ond phase of the teachings, and what their syn- ing is awakening to and as Absolute Reality thesis might look like in the third phase. I also that transcends, includes and is arising as the consider how the Shamballa Impacts are con- entire multi-plane cosmos. This type of realiza- tributing to the emergence of these two forms tion has been cultivated in various radical of awakening on unprecedented scales, before awakening lineages such as Dzogchen, Ma- finally looking at the implications of these im- hamudra, Zen, Vedanta, and Kashmir pacts for the Trans-Himalayan community. Shaivism, for instance. Introduction Evolutionary awakening refers to the shifts of a relative self’s level of polarization that take n Occult Cosmology, Bruce Lyon makes the place within the seven sub-planes of the cos- distinction between two fundamental forms I mic physical plane, from personality to soul to of awakening: radical awakening and evolu- monad, and then into wider and deeper spheres tionary awakening.1 The combination of these of incarnation along the cosmic paths. This two forms of awakening is increasingly central form of growth also includes various other to the newest and most synthetic forms of spir- lines of unfoldment too, such as an individu- ituality emerging today, from Ken Wilber’s al’s cultivation of relationship with communi- distinction between growth through states and ties of beings operating in all kingdoms; access structures;2 Adi Da’s teaching on Transcenden- to more and more planes of experience; and talist and Emanationist paths;3 Andrew Co- hen’s focus on Being and Becoming in his ______Evolutionary Enlightenment teachings;4 Thomas Hubl’s focus on Silence and Move- About the Author ment;5 and Aisha Salem’s description of the Jon Darrall-Rew lives in Bristol, United Kingdom, difference between the realization of Truth and and is the current head of Shamballa School Life.6 In certain passages of Djwhal Khul’s (www.shamballaschool.org). He recently completed a forthcoming book with Dustin DiPerna, Earth teaching with Alice Bailey, he refers to these 8 two forms of awakening in terms of identifica- is Eden, from which much of the content of this article is taken. He can be contacted on jondar- tion (radical awakening) and initiation (evolu- [email protected] tionary awakening). I will return to how these

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 17 The Esoteric Quarterly the unfoldment of forms of intelligence on ness, which relates both to the absence of any each plane. permanent and inherent existence to anything in the relative cosmos, and to the primordial, Something I wish to address in this article is unmanifest Ground of Being out of which the how the differentiation between these two entire cosmos arises. Relative Truth is the ba- forms of awakening seems to have been poorly sis for understanding the doctrine of Depend- understood in the Trans-Himalayan communi- ent Origination, which considers the whole ty until recently. Indeed, it seems to me that relative cosmos to be composed of intercon- this has produced a number of areas of confu- nected, mutually interdependent, only relative- sion for students when comparing the Trans- ly real entities. Himalayan teachings to those of other traditions, particularly the Eastern traditions. It is In the Trans-Himalayan teachings, Absolute my hope that this article may contribute to the Reality is described as the Boundless Immuta- continued clarification of the “Great Path of ble Principle, which is pointed to in the First Awakening” both theoretically, in terms of Fundamental of the Secret Doctrine.9 For clari- how it is understood and presented in the glob- ty, it serves to note that in this article and in al spiritual field and in terms of its embodied accordance with both the teaching and my own expression by awake, powerful, loving and experience, I use the terms Boundless Immuta- creative beings and groups in the world. Thus ble Principle, the One Life, Infinite Awake may the Trans-Himalayan community as a Presence, and Absolute Reality, as synony- whole continue to act as both a repository of mous. some of the most profound esoteric wisdom Just as is the case in some of the most pro- available, and as a growing field for today and found Wisdom Traditions, in the Trans- tomorrow’s initiates. Himalayan teachings, this Absolute Reality is Radical and Evolutionary understood to have both a Consciousness, or Awakening as described in the Awareness, aspect, and an Energy, or Life- force aspect. Ultimately, these two are non- Trans-Himalayan Tradition dual, or not two, yet in order to understand our o understand these two forms of awaken- current topic more clearly, it can help to differ- T ing, and how they have been encapsulated entiate them. in the previous Trans-Himalayan teachings, we The Consciousness aspect should not be un- need to consider the distinction between Abso- derstood as equivalent to the subtle, loving and lute and Relative Reality. This distinction was yet still dualistic consciousness that is often one that was first most fully explored by the spoken of in relation to the soul. Rather, it is great Buddhist philosopher, Nagarjuna, in his unbounded, selfless, centerless, objectless, Two Truths doctrine that forms a core teaching primordial, timeless, infinite Consciousness. In of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. That the Secret Doctrine, Blavatsky described it by doctrine states that all Reality has two funda- saying, mental truths to it. The first is an Absolute, unchanging, eternal, omnipresent Truth. The We call absolute consciousness “uncon- second is a Relative, changing, evolving, and sciousness,” because it seems to us that it impermanent truth. must necessarily be so, just as we call the Absolute, “Darkness,” because to our finite Absolute Truth is that which relates to the Ab- understanding it appears quite impenetra- solute Reality that transcends, includes and ble…10 arises as the entire cosmos. Relative Truth re- And, lates to the recognition that the entire cosmos is real, but only relatively so, as there is no part In the occult teachings, the Unknown and of it which can be proven to be permanent, the Unknowable MOVER, or the Self- unchanging, and independently existent. In Existing, is the absolute divine Essence. Buddhist philosophy, Absolute Truth is the And thus being Absolute Consciousness, basis for understanding the doctrine of Empti- and Absolute Motion—to the limited senses

of those who describe this indescribable—it mains never really not Itself) and thus reflects is unconsciousness and immovableness.11 Itself. This Self-emanation allows the One Universal Monad to “ray forth” the galactic And the same in Djwhal Khul’s teachings with monads that incarnate through entire galaxies, Alice Bailey: which themselves emanate super- …the Absolute is consciousness in its full- constellational monads, which incarnate est expression, though at the stage of hu- through systems of constellations, which them- man existence the Absolute must be regard- selves emanate constellational, solar, planetary ed as unconsciousness.12 and intra-planetary monads, which all incar- This Consciousness aspect of Absolute Reality nate through their respective fields, until and is known by many names in the radical awak- beyond that “point” at which we have what is ening lineages. In Dzogchen, it is described as understood as a “human monadic essence.” the Natural State, Rigpa, and Primordial The One Universal Monad then has the oppor- Awareness; In Zen, it is the unborn Buddha- tunity to express itself on the seven sub-planes Nature; in Kashmir Shaivism, it is personified of the cosmic physical plane through the three primary levels of polarization—the human per- as Shiva; and in Vedanta, it is described as 15 Brahman. sonality, the soul, and the monad. The Energy or Life-force aspect of the Abso- lute is the Absolute Motion that Blavatsky describes. This is the “Great Breath”13 or Perfect Life-force expression of Absolute Conscious- ness that arises, uncoils and becomes the active dynamic Energy of Pure Life at the cyclically recurring birth of the universe, and that is re- tracted into passivity at its dissolution. This Life-force of Absolute Reality is “The Perfect Dynamic Energy of the Lion,” to quote the title of a Dzogchen Tantra, and it is the Para-Shakti of the Indian nondual lineages. It arises as the incarnating and supremely awakened entity, or One Universal Monad, Logos, or Life, of the universe. This Universal Monad is the One that is the radiation of the Absolute Zero of Bound- less Awareness-Space, and together, the Infi- nite Awake Presence and dynamic Life; Non- Figure 1. “The Tree of Life” by Being and Being; Emptiness and Form—the Silas Stoddard.16 perfect 10—they are the nondual Absolute Re- ality, the Boundless Immutable Principle or the We can vision this in the symbol of the Tree of One Life of the Trans-Himalayan teachings. Life in the Garden of Eden—a divine tree whose roots and trunk periodically grow out of The Trans-Himalayan scholar and teacher, Mi- the rich, black soil of the Ground of Infinite chael Robbins, has suggested that it is the will Awake Presence as an overflowing of its pure toward deliberate Self-Perception that arises fertility. That trunk—the One Universal Mon- within this One Universal Monad, to which ad or Life—then begins to separate into scaf- there is nothing external that allows a process 14 fold branches, from which lateral branches of what he calls, “emanative-Self-division.” grow outwards, from which stems extend, and By this process, the One Universal Monad upon which grow untold numbers of leaves. progressively, and willfully (an important There is no part of this tree that is more “tree” point—it is as if the One wills to become the than another, and it doesn’t make sense to ask many and yet remain, in synthesis, as One) if there is any part of it more connected to the divides Itself through emanation (so that it re- Ground of Infinite Awake Presence from

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 19 The Esoteric Quarterly which it has sprouted. And yet still, the leaves other spheres of awareness and identity. would have a journey of many stages to trace What we understand by the human monad their source back to the trunk. then is a far vaster being than what we understand by the human soul, but it is still an Radical awakening then relates to our awaken- “evolving self.” The evolution now takes ing to the ever-present Source, Ground, and place “in life” rather than strictly “in con- essential True Nature of the entire cosmos as sciousness,” but it is an evolution nonethe- the living matrix of the Absolute Reality of the less. The monad experiences itself as the Boundless Immutable Principle—the Infinite “One,” however, that One keeps getting Awake Presence that transcends, includes and bigger until it is the solar, galactic and uni- arises as the entire cosmos. versal identities expressing through greater Evolutionary awakening relates to the stage by and greater time and space ring-pass-nots. stage process whereby a particular stream of The human personality was always the emanation of the One Universal Life or Mon- monad whether or not it realized this to be ad, identified as a human personality, for in- the case. Similarly, the human monad has stance, progressively re-traces that emanated always been the One Universal Life even stream of its own relative identity, from per- though that realization occurs in the experi- sonality to soul to monad to a particular plane- ence of progressive identification. tary Logos, a solar Logos, a constellational There is a second “self” that begins to make Logos, a galactic Logos, a universal Logos…. its presence felt when the experience of the Again, here is Bruce Lyon describing these monad begins to become a reality in human two forms of awakening in detail, awareness, however, and this is the non- The lesser self is always contained in the evolving “absolute” self. The evolving self greater self and “self-transformation” in- lives embedded in the world of becoming— volves the sequential shifting of identity in- within the manifest universe. The absolute to the larger sphere through the process of self is neither confined to the manifest uni- initiation. The personality self is contained verse nor excluded from it. It neither within the ring-pass-not of the lower three evolves nor realizes itself. It is beyond all planes and within the time ring-pass-not of definition and all duality. It is what the Ageless Wisdom calls the One Boundless the physical incarnation. The soul expresses 17 through five planes and its cycle in time is Immutable Principle. through many thousands of incarnations. Marriage of Trans- The monad is relatively immortal from the perspective of the personality—“lasting” Himalayan and Integral for a manvantara. We can see, however, o help us understand the Truth of these that a monad is also an evolving self if it is T two forms of awakening, Bruce Lyon pro- understood in terms of reference to a par- vides us with both a vertical and horizontal ticular level of “identification.” For exam- definition of spirit and matter.18 He makes the ple, a “human monad” or an “Earth Chain point that spirit and matter, when viewed dual- monad” has reference to a spark of the one istically, can be understood in both a horizon- flame that is “identified” with a particular tal (radical) and vertical (evolutionary) sense. sphere of life within the One Life. It could Horizontally, spirit is the Infinite Awake Pres- be said that a “self-realized” human monad ence that is the unborn and ever-present root of in the Earth Scheme is one that recognizes all subjectivity, and matter is its eternal Life- their identification with the identity of the Force arising as the entire cosmos. Vertically, Planetary Logos. By “identification,” we within the relative universe, spirit is the pure mean something like “direct participation in energy found on the subtlest planes (systemic the life of.” We know too that a human or cosmic), and matter is the most solidified monad (or the essence of the monad) will expression of that energy in gross form. Spirit take one of the cosmic paths and pass into or pure energy, which is found on the subtlest

20 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 planes, is the One Universal Monad that we are coherent whole. Described by some as a “The- in the deepest cosmic root of our identification, ory of Everything,” it works according to the and that is revealed in ever wider and more injunction that all perspectives are true but par- inclusive forms as identification is shifted into tial, and is composed of five core elements. the monad and beyond. These are quadrants, levels, lines, states, and types. For those unfamiliar with these, they are These two approaches to understanding the described in an endnote.21 spirit/matter duality can be seen in the diagram below. On the left, (A) depicts spirit, soul and The two elements of Integral Theory that have matter defined in evolutionary or vertical most relevance here are states and levels (lev- terms, where soul exists on a subtler plane of els are also known in Integral Theory as energy/matter than personality, and spirit on a “structures.”) In Integral Theory, spiritual subtler plane than soul. On the right, (B) adds a awakening is understood to involve awareness horizontal definition, where instead of spirit re-tracing its source horizontally, from right to and soul existing in a subtler frequency of en- left in the above diagram (B), from gross to ergy-matter on the continuum of the planes, subtle to causal states. Conversely, the vertical they are actually transcendent to the entire movement involves the shifting of conscious- spectrum of manifestation on all planes, dense ness into ever higher and more inclusive lev- or subtle. els, or structures of consciousness. These two movements should not be confused. The horizontal movement relates to the recognition of the true nature of awareness, or the seer. This process involves the continued release of awareness from the structures through which it operates (e.g. the body, thought, personality, time, individual consciousness…), until it is recognized as transcending, including and arising as the entire cosmos. The vertical move- Figure 2. The vertical-evolutionary ment involves the unfoldment of more and and horizontal-radical approaches more inclusive and all-embracing lenses to understanding the spirit, soul, through which the seer, or awareness, can view 19 and matter trinity. and understand the world. Interestingly, (B) gives us two trinities. One is When attempting to understand the difference horizontal, relating to radical awakening and between radical and evolutionary awakening as the Absolute Reality that transcends the entire they appear in the Trans-Himalayan teaching, cosmos, and one is vertical, relating to evolu- the differentiation offered by Integral Theory tionary awakening and existing within the between states and levels is important. Often, manifest cosmos, on progressively subtle Trans-Himalayan students familiar with the planes. Integral use of the terms gross, subtle, causal, and nondual, understand them as equivalent to One approach that has integrated and synthe- the vertical trinity in the figure above (B), of sized a considerable depth of wisdom on both matter, soul and spirit. However, I suggest that the radical and evolutionary forms of awaken- this is incorrect and that the former terms more ing, and that is able to shed light on the two accurately have specific reference to the hori- directions of movement shown in the above zontal categorization in the above figure. Ac- diagram—vertical and horizontal—is Ken cording to this reasoning, rather than having Wilber’s Integral Theory.20 Integral Theory is relation to components of the relative evolu- what could be described as a meta-framework, tionary cosmos (monads, souls, personali- or a model for integrating the perspectives of- ties…), the terms, gross, subtle, causal and fered by theorists, scientists and philosophers nondual, refer to states or phases of Absolute across disciplines, across the globe, and pre- Reality’s involution into the entire spectrum of modern, modern and post-modern eras, into a

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 21 The Esoteric Quarterly cosmic manifest form through all planes. From this perspective, they are states of Absolute Reality rather than levels of the relative self. The wisdom traditions describe to us how this process of involution—the horizontal movement in the figure above, from left to right in (B)—can be thought of using at least two different scales. First, it can be conceived from a macrocosmic scale. From this orientation, one can conceive of the process by which the entire cosmos is created. Nondual Absolute Reality Figure 3. The three states of water (H2O): first externalizes as the causal state. This is the solid, liquid and gas.25 Primordial Unmanifest, Pure Emptiness, Non- Being, Absolute Darkness, and the Void— When first becoming familiar with the phases which is described in A Treatise on Cosmic of involution, it can be helpful to liken the pro- 22 Fire as the First Cosmic Logos. Such causal cess to the movement of water (H20) through formlessness is still beyond time and beyond state-phase shifts from gas, to liquid, to solid. space. It could even be said that the causal In this sense, nondual Absolute Reality (H20) state is pre-time and pre-space. Causal form- can be seen as manifesting from causal (gas), lessness, which is Infinite Unmanifest Being to subtle (liquid), to gross states (solid). As resting as pure potentiality and intention, then described above, this process can be seen as externalizes into the subtle state. This subtle sequential or all at once. All phases of relative state, which is composed of infinite energy, creation, whether gas, liquid or solid, are sound, light, vibration and rays, is the Second equally water. In a similar way, all phases of Cosmic Logos.23 Subtle Reality then external- creation (causal, subtle, and gross) are equally izes further into the gross state, which is com- the nondual One Life, or Boundless Immutable posed of all universal gross forms and objects, Principle of Absolute Reality. at which point the Big Bang explodes into ex- 24 From the perspective of state-phases, radical istence. This is the Third Cosmic Logos. awakening is the process by which awareness (Models of involution, like the one just provid- recognizes itself as water rather than identify- ed, are commonly found within esoteric tradi- ing as a specific state or phase of creation. tions of both the East and West.) Radical awakening, therefore, involves the The second way to conceive of involution is on Infinite Awake Presence that is nondual Abso- a moment-to-moment basis. From this perspec- lute Reality and the true nature of awareness, tive, one can perceive involution in every sin- recognizing itself as such through all three gle instant as spontaneously present. In each states of Reality—boundless, empty, formless moment, nondual Absolute Reality remains awareness (causal), infinite living light-energy unmoved as the Infinite Awake Presence that (subtle), and all cosmic form (gross). Those is the One Life. In the very same instant, the familiar with Buddhist philosophy will recog- Infinite Awake Presence emanates as causal nize these as the three great spheres of being, formlessness. Simultaneously, it is present as or buddha-bodies—the dharmakaya, sambo- the energy, light, rays, sound and vibration of gakaya and nirmanakaya, respectively, whose the subtle state. And equally, it is spontaneous- ultimate indivisible unity is known as the ly present as all gross form. From this perspec- svabhavikakaya.26 From this root-perspective, tive, there is no sequential involutionary all of Reality is revealed as an infinite matrix movement into form but rather the spontane- of the One Life. ously present existence of all three phases of Within these state-phases, the evolutionary nondual Absolute Reality all at once. planes (the cosmic physical plane, the cosmic

22 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 astral, cosmic mental, etc.) compose the gross speaking of a shift of consciousness into the state of Reality, and thus the process of evolu- monad. tionary awakening occurs within the infinite As understandable as this is, any in-depth ex- form expression of the Absolute. Therefore, ploration of the teachings of the radical awak- rather than the gross state being equated to just ening lineages such as Dzogchen, Mahamudra, the systemic physical plane, all the planes, Zen, Vedanta, or Kashmir Shaivism, for in- systemic, cosmic and beyond ad infinitum, can stance, will demonstrate that such a position be understood to embody the gross state of the cannot explain the data. Specifically, if we Absolute. Deeper still, since ultimately, from a look to the great teachers, sages and siddhas of nondual perspective, there is nothing but the the above named radical awakening traditions, Absolute Reality of the One Life, all of its one can easily find examples of beings under- state-phases—gross, subtle, causal, and nondu- stood to be fully radically awake, i.e., stable, al—are present on every plane. This means persistent abiding in the nondual state regard- that radical awakening is available to all beings less of the level of evolutionary attainment. regardless of their stage of evolutionary awak- Examples here might include Ramana Ma- ening. harshi, the great Dzogchen philosopher-siddha, Detail Longchen Rabjam, or contemporary teachers such as Adyashanti or Ken Wilber, for in- he lack of explicit differentiation about stance. And yet these are not beings we would T these two forms of awakening in the not normally understand to be fully monadical- Trans-Himalayan teaching prior to Bruce ly polarised. If they were, then the sheer inten- Lyon’s recent contribution has resulted in sity and power of their presence and energy some points of confusion about the nature of would be equivalent to that of Chohans, and the Path. These though, when clarified, paint a beings operating within Shamballa. While the profound picture both for the wonder of the presence and energy of such radical awakening cosmos we inhabit, and the contribution the realizers was and is certainly powerful, the Trans-Himalayan teachings can make to the presence we would expect from a monadically world. To my mind, the principal areas of polarised being would be of several levels of needed clarification have been around the rela- magnitude beyond this. tion of the monad to Absolute Reality; the degree to which radical awakening, described at This dissociation leaves us in with an interest- times by Djwhal Khul in terms of identifica- ing asymmetry: monadic polarization does en- tion, is dependent upon a high stage of initia- tail radical awakening to and as Absolute Real- tion; and how radical awakening and evolu- ity, but radical awakening to and as Absolute tionary awakening, or identification and initia- Reality does not necessarily involve monadic tion, differentially unfold in such advanced polarization. This asymmetry serves as the ba- stages of development as the cosmic paths. sis for the needed differentiation between radical and evolutionary awakening, as highlighted The lack of clarity about these matters is un- in Bruce Lyon’s recent work, and also here. derstandable. In his work with Alice Bailey, But it also calls us not to stop there. Rather, we Djwhal Khul does not explicitly differentiate are called to go deeper into the relationship between identification (radical awakening— between these two forms of awakening in or- the horizontal movement in the diagram der to understand the asymmetry, and why it is above) as experienced through an evolutionary that they seem to converge into one in some shift of the self’s center of gravity into the places, and not in others. monad, and as it might be opened to from other depths of the self, such as the personality or One way to understand this is to explore the soul. Students could therefore be forgiven for relationship between the states previously de- confusing the monad with the non-evolving scribed (gross, subtle, causal, nondual) and the Absolute Reality, with the adjunct assumption evolutionary planes (systemic, cosmic, etc.). If that whenever other spiritual traditions speak we do this, we can see that on each subtler of awakening to Absolute Reality, they are plane of the cosmic physical plane (and indeed

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 23 The Esoteric Quarterly of all cosmic planes), the Absolute Reality of more naturally opened up. This is owing to the the unchanging One Life is less and less fact that increasingly for such a being, the veiled. This means that as a being shifts their planes upon which they are polarized are so polarization into subtler and subtler planes subtle that the True Nature of Absolute Reality through evolutionary awakening along the path is nakedly disclosed. of initiation, radical awakening is more and

Table 1. Correspondences between the sub-planes of the cosmic physical plane, the depths of the self residing upon them, the communities and energies operating on those planes, the corresponding Integral attitudes, and the states of the radical Absolute Reality most prevalent to relative vision on those levels.

Integral Level of Self- Community Plane Ener- Plane Radical State of altitude hood gy the Absolute most pervasive Planetary Logoic Life, Desti- Nondual Clear light Monad Shamballa ny, Will, Monadic Power Higher Causal/witness atmic Lower atmic Ultraviolet Spiritual Will

Violet Love- Buddhic Soul Hierarchy Wisdom Subtle Indigo Higher Higher mind mental Red – Personality Humanity Intelligence, Lower Turquoise Creativity mental

Magenta Emotional Astral Emotional self Animal King- energy dom

Infrared Etheric Etheric Higher Plant Kingdom impulsive self energy, Chi physical: Gross / Prana / etheric sexual Physical self Mineral King- energy Lower phys- dom Kundalini ical: dense

A model for how this can be represented can Shamballa face when the time comes for Them be seen above, where on the most subtle three to ‘negate’ our planetary life-expression and planes of the cosmic physical plane (the logo- experience altogether.”27 These are the levels ic, monadic and higher atmic), the nondual and that the Master Morya refers to as those of “the causal states are most nakedly exposed. Thus, Lion of the Desert,” which is another fitting the community of Shamballa abides ever in the appellation of the causal state. glory of the nondual Great Perfection and the The naked revelation of the nondual State of causal unmanifest void from which the subtle Absolute Reality as it pervades the higher mo- state emerges. nadic planes is encapsulated in Djwhal Khul’s Djwhal Khul points to the causal state’s rela- words when he speaks of the realized “omni- tion to the monadic planes when he describes presence of divinity within all forms”28 that spirit in terms of “pure darkness,” and also comes with monadic contact. It is clear that when he describes “That ‘unknown impenetra- full radical awakening has been established ble Void, the utter darkness of negation’ which through penetration from the causal into the Those Who are in the Council Chamber of the nondual when the material cosmos (dense and Lord of the World and Who are focused in subtle) is reintegrated into the realization. In

24 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 the causal state, there is no form. Indeed, all light of the triad, which pervades the levels form has dropped away, leaving only bound- upon which the Ashrams operate. less, empty, unmanifest Being. This is the And on the three most dense planes (the lower Emptiness or Void described in the esoteric mental, astral, and physical-etheric), the gross traditions, the realization of which involves the state of Absolute Reality is most prominent to total falling away of the entire manifest cos- our vision, hence the materialistic focus and mos. It is for this reason that paths that lead a orientation of percep- practitioner only up to tion of so many human causal realization often Evolutionary awakening re- beings whose center of describe the manifest fers to the process of initia- self-gravity resides on cosmos as an illusion or tion wherein self-conscious these planes. apparition. With the shift deeper into the individuals gradually and se- These points have deep nondual, however, the quentially experience them- implications for the manifest cosmos arises way we understand the again, but now instead selves through transfor- types of consciousness of being considered mation becoming identified exhibited by the various something antithetical with subtler and more inclu- aspects of our nature— to the deepest realiza- monadic, soul, and per- tion of Reality; it is in- sive levels of identity. Radical sonality—on their re- nately recognized as not awakening occurs when self- spective planes. Specif- other than the energy conscious individuals sudden- ically, with this per- expression of the Infi- spective in place, it can nite Awake Presence. ly and radically experience be seen that the monad That Infinite Awake themselves as the One Life. remains ever awake to Presence is still recog- and as nondual the Ab- nized as transcendent and not limited to the solute Reality of the One Life, and the Primor- manifest cosmos, but it is now seen to include dial Emptiness of causal formlessness. It can and actually arise as the manifest cosmos as also be seen that the soul, owing to the perpet- well. ual shining of the subtle state of the Absolute on the soul planes, is ever enveloped in Light- On the soul planes (the lower atmic, buddhic Energy, and need only glance into the true na- and higher mental), the subtle state is most ture of its own awareness for full radical pervasive, making these planes ones which are awakening to break forth. Additionally, it be- pervaded by forms of variously colored light, comes clear that though radical awakening re- sound and rays. Thus, the planes upon which mains available to all selves operating on the Hierarchy primarily operate at this time are personality planes, the prevalence in vision of predominantly colored by Absolute Reality’s the gross state of Absolute Reality tends to subtle state. Djwhal Khul points to this when obscure the ever-present Truth of the One Life. he describes the “clear cold light,” the blended This is clarified in the below figure.

Figure 4. Correspondence between the evolutionary levels of our being and the radical states of Absolute Reality.

Relationship between subtle state—an infinite field of light, sound Radical and Evolutionary and energy. Awakening on the Path And owing to the fact that the gross state of the Absolute is most prevalent to our vision on the hese points also have compelling implica- personality planes (infrared-turquoise altitude T tions for how the radical and evolutionary above), those whose center of gravity is rooted awakening processes can be understood to in- here, which is the majority of humanity, will teract on the path. For example, owing to the have awareness of this, largely in its physical nondual and causal states being most nakedly plane expression—the physical universe. pervasive on the highest three planes of the However, since its subtle, causal and nondual cosmic physical plane, an evolutionary shift of levels are not so obvious to relative vision on one’s center of gravity into the monad (clear the personality planes as they are on soul and light altitude above) necessarily entails stabi- monadic planes, the majority of human beings lized causal into nondual radical awakening as will not experience the continuous recognition the Absolute Reality of the Boundless Immu- of the One Life through all phases—gross, table Principle. subtle, causal and nondual. Similarly, since the subtle state shines so per- However, this is not to say that in order to rad- vasively on the soul planes (indigo-ultraviolet ically awaken to nondual Absolute Reality one altitude above), we can see that a shift of one’s needs to be an initiate of a high degree first, center of gravity into the soul necessarily en- i.e., to have shifted the self’s polarization from tails an opening of awareness into at least the

26 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 personality to soul to monad. As the radical begin to occur once the initiate’s locus of iden- awakening traditions such as Dzogchen, Ma- tity begins to shift into the monad and beyond hamudra, Zen, Vedanta, Kashmir Shaivism, the cosmic paths. This series of identifications and Bon teach, radical awakening to and as the involve a monad’s identification with and Absolute Reality of the Boundless Immutable transmission of the Will and Purpose of vari- Principle—Infinite Awake Presence and its ous scales of Logoi (planetary, solar, constella- dynamic Life-force—is ever-available to all tional, galactic) within whose bodies it finds its beings on the personality planes. And in terms place. While this series of identifications in- of its sudden and gradual realization, it is a volves extraordinary levels of cosmic devel- testament to the truth that radical awakening opment and expressions of cosmic service that requires no further evolutionary awakening express over vast cycles of time, they are still than a stable sense of self, that the radical occurring within the changing, evolving uni- awakening traditions have successfully taught verse, and thus must still be defined as relative. this path for millennia, without any attempt to The Absolute dimension of identification with shift people’s center of gravity in the self any and as the Absolute Reality of the Boundless higher than the levels of personality. Immutable Principle is considered as such because it involves awakening to the Reality that This allows us to begin to consider why is changeless through and beyond the entirety Djwhal Khul, in his work with Alice Bailey, of all time and space. normally associates identification with an advanced stage of initiation. To my mind, the The idea that radical awakening opens up natu- reason lies in the distinction between radical rally in the higher initiations (after the third) awakening experienced as a temporary peak begins to explain why Djwhal Khul does not experience, and as a stabilized stage of devel- clearly differentiate between the Absolute and opment. While anyone, regardless of their lev- Relative definitions of identification. Instead, el of evolutionary awakening, or their place on he uses the word in reference to both radical the path of initiation, can have a temporary awakening to the Absolute Reality of the One experience of radical awakening to Absolute Life, and to the advanced stages of evolution- Reality, simply because it is the realization of ary awakening that come online once the cen- Reality as it truly is, I would propose that abid- ter of gravity for the relative self has shifted ing radical awakening is something that does into the monad. The human monadic essence not begin to stabilize naturally until after the shares its ultimate identity with the One Uni- third initiation. This explains why Djwhal versal Monad, as an emanation of its Self. The Khul normally associates the third initiation evolutionary Path of Return that becomes ac- with the first point on the path when identifica- cessible then can be understood as the path tion starts to naturally stabilize—something along which these “lines” of emanation are that is fully consummated at the fourth initia- retraced and the monadic essence progressive- tion. This also points to why radical awakening ly recognizes that it IS, and has always been, seems to open up and become stabilized with the One, on greater and greater scales. But comparative ease for some individuals and not simultaneously, from a radical perspective, for others.29 once the relative self’s polarization has shifted into the monad, every single stage of that path When exploring Djwhal Khul’s use of the is enfolded and saturated with radical Wake- term, identification, it is important to be clear fulness to the Absolute Reality of the One Life. that it has both Absolute and Relative definitions. The Absolute definition, which is what is Furthermore, it serves to note that just as evo- being pointed to here, is the full and stabilized lutionary awakening into deeper and deeper radical awakening of the initiate to the Reality levels of polarization (personality to soul to of the Boundless Immutable Principle that monad) necessarily evokes radical awakening transcends, includes and arises as the entire to deeper and deeper states (gross to subtle to cosmos. The relative definition of identifica- causal to nondual), so is the reverse also true. tion relates to the series of identifications that Radical awakening, as it is stabilized, opens

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 27 The Esoteric Quarterly the door and lubricates the path of evolutionary nite Awake Presence of the One Life realizes awakening. That is, radical awakening opens itself through a human being, their relative the possibility along the line of evolutionary sense of self dissolves into clear light—an awakening for shifts of selfhood into deeper empty sky through which patterns of energy, and deeper levels of spontaneously arising cre- rays of light, and bolts of lightning naturally ativity, love, and power in the unfoldment of arise through the apparent form of “a Master.” cosmic Purpose. As this unfolds, and the Infi-

Figure 5. Tibetan Buddhist representation of the Dzogchen master, Padmasambhava, having attained a rainbow body.30

The capacity of radical awakening, as it be- jalus, is often referred to in English as the cul- comes stabilized, to naturally evoke shifts in tivation of a rainbow body, due to the sudden evolutionary awakening, is a phenomenon at- appearance of rainbows in the vicinity of the tested to in the Tibetan teaching on the rain- Master’s body at the moment of, and immedi- bow body. In the Dzogchen lineages of both ately following, death. Upon attainment of the the Buddhist and Bon traditions of Tibet, rainbow body, it is said that these beings are which are explicitly radical awakening line- no longer restricted by time and space, and can ages, there are descriptions of advanced practi- appear and disappear on the physical plane at tioners who, upon bodily death, literally trans- will. Here is the Dzogchen Master, Chogyal form the physical elements of the body into Namkai Norbu: light. This phenomenon, known in Tibetan as

When a person has that realization of Rain- Masters is that the teacher is often said to re- bow Body then their physical body slowly appear, reconstituting him or herself in the disappears and other people cannot see it. It form of a light body to offer final teachings. seems as if that person has disappeared, but The founding of the Dzogchen lineage itself is in the real sense, he/she is alive and contin- understood to have been initiated in this way. uing their activities actively in the Rainbow According to the tradition, Garab Dorje re- Body. They can continue doing benefit, be- turned in a body of light after his death to give ing active in the Rainbow Body for centu- his student, Manjusurimitra, a final set of in- ries and centuries, just like Guru Pad- structions on how to perfect radical awakening masambhava.31 according to the Dzogchen view. In the occurrences when a Master attains rain- The transference of a fully awakened human bow body it is reported that his or her physical being into a body of pure light has a basis in body dissolves (or shrinks), sometimes leaving many other traditions too, such as the Tamil no trace of its once physical existence. Tenzin Siddha tradition, Taoism, Christianity, and Wangyal Rinpoche, a lineage Master in the many other lineages. According to the Trans- Tibetan Bon tradition, describes this occur- Himalayan cosmology, it could be posited that rence in the following way: “The realized the attainment of the rainbow body corre- Dzogchen practitioner, no longer deluded by sponds to the passing of an advanced initiate apparent substantiality or dualism such as through stages of development subsequent to mind and matter, releases the energy of the the fourth initiation. The evolutionary momen- elements that compose the physical body at the tum of that development leading into and be- time of death.”32 yond this point stems from the natural flow of unfoldments that occur with stabilized radical It is said that the rainbow body phenomena awakening. occurs as a result of the fact that the practitioner’s stabilization in the Infinite Awake Pres- The fourth initiation involves the individual’s ence of the One Life as the base of all Reality full stability in radical awakening to and as the has matured so fully that it begins to affect the Absolute Reality of the Boundless Immutable physical body. According to this perspective, Principle; their stabilized polarization in bud- the experiential knowing of Absolute Reality is dhi whilst opening more and more fully to the so well established that it penetrates all the monadic; full transition into Hierarchy; plane way down to the physical cells and atoms of access increasingly opened to all seven sub- the body. From this perspective, the attainment planes of the cosmic physical plane, and the of a rainbow body is also a sign of the full cul- being’s transcendence of concrete mind so as tivation of the buddha bodies (nirmanakaya, to operate fully through the intuitive wisdom- sambhogakaya and dharmakaya). At this level intelligence of the buddhic plane. Correspond- of realization, all bodies (physical, emotional, ingly, in the Trans-Himalayan teachings it is mental, soul, triadic, and monadic) arise and understood that subsequent to the fourth initia- are known directly as a dynamic energy- tion and into the fifth, the initiate gains the ca- expression of the One Life. pacity, should they choose, to manifest at will on the physical-etheric, astral and mental Over the past century, there have been several planes through a mayavirupa, or body of light. well-documented cases of both men and wom- Here is Djwhal Khul: en who have attained the rainbow body. The list of Masters includes Shardza Tashi Gyalten He [the initiate] can work through a physi- (1935), Kenchen Tsewang Rigdzin (who re- cal body (with its subtler sheaths) or not, as portedly transformed into rainbow body and he sees fit. He realizes that he, as an indi- disappeared alive in 1958), Ayu Khandro vidual, no longer needs a physical body or (1953), and Khenpo A-chos (1998), just to an astral consciousness, and that the mind is name a few of the more recent accounts within only a service instrument. The body in the Tibetan tradition. One of the most interest- which he now functions is a body of light ing reports received from the students of these which has its own type of substance. The

Master, however, can build a body through cosmic intelligence and creativity. In the words which He can approach His incoming dis- of Bruce Lyon, “Radical awakening is like ciples and those who have not taken the pouring gasoline on all the other fires.” higher initiations; He will normally build this body in semblance of the human form, Radical and Evolutionary doing so instantaneously and by an act of Awakening on the the will, when required. The majority of the Cosmic Paths Masters who are definitely working with humanity either preserve the old body in he cosmic paths embody one of the most which They took the fifth initiation, or else T profound points of teaching contained in They build the “mayavirupa” or body of the Trans-Himalayan cannon. They testify to maya, of physical substance. This body will the wonder of the evolutionary journey into appear in the original form in which They cosmos. In the words of the Master Morya, took initiation. This I personally did in ref- “The endlessness of the path is so very beauti- 34 erence to the first case; i.e., preserving the ful!” body in which I took initiation. This the Radical awakening is awakening to that which Master K.H. did in creating a body which is the Ultimate Base of all Reality on all cos- was made in the form in which He took the mic planes. The cosmic paths embody those 33 fifth initiation. trails of evolutionary unfoldment on which the So, it seems that while radical and evolution- scale of the relative cosmos that is integrated ary awakening need to be differentiated in or- into that realization is steadily increased. To der to understand the key contributions of the understand this, it can be noted that while radi- different spiritual traditions, and also the path cal awakening is awakening to Reality beyond itself, in the advanced stages of one tradition, the entire spectrum of time and space in the the advanced stages of the other are naturally manifest universe (on all levels), that awaken- made more available and more likely. As has ing still happens within time and space. That been shown, evolutionary awakening into the is, it occurs within some particular plane of monadic planes necessarily evokes radical vibrational energy-matter, and at some point in awakening to and as the Absolute Reality of the history of the evolutionary process. For a the One Life. And equally, it seems fair to pos- Master on Earth, the plane on which it occurs it that radical awakening has an electrifying is the cosmic physical plane (on any of its sev- effect on all aspects of development along the en sub-frequencies), and so the extent of the line of evolutionary awakening. manifest universe that is able to be revealed as the nondual One Life extends only to the cos- This means that as an initiate stabilizes realiza- mic physical plane. In the words of Djwhal tion of the Infinite Awake Presence of the One Khul with Alice Bailey: Life as the ever-present Base of their awareness, heart and body, the capacity for the un- When the student realizes that the great folding of ever-deeper levels of polarization universal Oneness which he associates with intensifies. From personality to soul to monad monadic consciousness, is only the registra- and beyond, the egg-shell of their relative tion of impressions localized (and therefore identity will continue to crack open and reveal limited) and defined within the etheric lev- the path of monadic emanation along which els of the cosmic physical plane, he can line they came in. Additionally, such stabiliza- perhaps grasp the implications of the won- tion will allow the opening up of their relation- der which will be revealed to the initiate ship with other SELF-reflections of the Abso- who can transcend the entire cosmic physi- lute on progressively celestial levels. It will cal plane (our seven planes of the human, involve their naturally arising penetration into superhuman and the divine worlds) and progressively subtler planes of experience into function upon another cosmic level. This is the cosmos. And it will evoke the rippling what the treading of the Way of the Higher forth of deeper developmental expressions of Evolution enables a Master eventually to do.35

This is a crucial point. Radical awakening in- on the evolutionary Great Chain of Being, or volves awakening to the nondual nature of as the Western scientific tradition on evolution. much of the manifest cosmos that one has ac- It is interesting to note that this radi- cess to. As the path of evolutionary awakening cal/evolutionary division has qualified the first continues to unfold, and the kernel of relative and second phases of the Trans-Himalayan self is abstracted and teachings.36 The first retraced ever deeper To understand the [Trans- phase of the Trans- into the cosmic Himalayan] teaching it must be Himalayan teachings, planes, the scale of which expressed pri- the manifest cosmos realized that the teaching IS IT- marily through the that the Master is SELF that which it seeks to Theosophical Society, able to integrate into offer a cosmology the realization of teach. It is a relationship, both and wisdom on the nonduality progres- vertical and horizontal, within arising of “Absolute sively expands. It is the consciousness of humanity. Reality as cosmic important to note Form” that are no here that the nature Its purpose is to bring together doubt as profound as of radical awaken- different spheres of awareness anything found in the ing—to the awak- within the mental life of mankind other Eastern radical ened state—does not awakening traditions. change, ever. What- and to bring the mind of man in- The teachings of the ever the level of po- to relationship with both the su- second phase, as pre- larization of initia- per and sub-human kingdoms. sented through such tion, it is awakening servers as Alice Bai- to and as the Infinite When this has been achieved the ley, Lucille Ceder- Awake Presence en- teaching is complete. crans and Helena folding all. But, as Roerich, were far the periphery of the cosmic physical plane is more explorative of evolutionary awakening. pierced, there unfold more and more cosmic energy-fields through which the Master is able Indeed, the tension that arose between the to integrate their radical realization of nondual Eastern emphasis of the early Theosophical Absolute Reality. teachings, and the Western Christian emphasis of Alice Bailey’s work with Djwhal Khul, can Implications for the Trans- be explained, in part, by this differential em- Himalayan Tradition phasis. And so too can the inconsistencies that present themselves in the models of the consti- aving explored how the differentiation tution of the human being that are offered in expresses through Trans-Himalayan cos- H first two phases of the Trans-Himalayan teach- mology and the path, I now want to focus on ings. For instance, in the Theosophical presen- its possible consequences for the Trans- tation, the deepest level of a human being’s Himalayan tradition. As we look to the forms nature is understood to be atman, and the mod- of wisdom that have been most especially cul- el used is very much in keeping with the Ve- tivated on Earth during the last few thousand dantic presentation of the increasingly subtle years, it can be seen that the wisdom on radical koshas, or sheaths, at the core of which the awakening to Absolute Reality has been pri- Infinite Awake Presence of the Atman resides. marily the contribution of the East. It can also However, in the model offered in the Bailey be seen that the wisdom on evolution has been teachings, the atman is relegated to atma, the primarily the contribution of the West. The subtlest level of the triad, and very explicitly a latter is the case, whether we are speaking of particular layer of our evolving, continually the Western esoteric tradition, where such unfolding being. The deepest level of our na- teachers as Plotinus offered profound teachings ture is described as the monad, which is differ-

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 31 The Esoteric Quarterly entiated from atma, and even then, the monad Bruce Lyon,39 I envision that the third phase of is presented as an ultimately growing and the Trans-Himalayan teachings will not be evolving being. In light of this, I would argue transmitted again to a single individual initiate, that in the Theosophical presentation, the mod- but to a group initiate. Furthermore, I would el offered is much more radically oriented, suggest that this group initiate will not be while in the Bailey teachings (and those of composed of individuals all drawn from the Cedercrans and Roerich too), the emphasis is Trans-Himalayan community, but of individu- more evolutionary. als from many traditions who have entered into spheres of radical and evolutionary awakening Furthermore, I would suggest that this differ- that have taken them beyond their traditions entiation of emphasis is no coincidence, and into identification with Absolute Reality and that it is actually expressive of a fundamental the one humanity. Only such a group would be point of integration between radical and evolu- able to represent, in the cultures and lineages tionary perspectives, and the Eastern and they have grown to transcend and include, a Western forms of wisdom, which the Trans- synthesis of Eastern, Western, and other global Himalayan teachings are intended to pioneer. perspectives. Indeed, both the first and second phases have not just integrated and synthesized wisdom Developmentally, such a group would likely be from the different lineages and domains of composed of beings who are both radically human activity (radical and evolutionary, East awake to and as the One Life, and evolutionary and West), but as a transmission from Hierar- awakened to the personality, soul and monadic chy concerning the evolutionary process as it levels of their being. Their radical awakening expresses across all planes and throughout the would allow them to represent the divine na- cosmos, the Trans-Himalayan teaching stands ture of Reality that is no less present in human- as a bridge between kingdoms too. In the words ity than any other kingdom. And their evolu- of Bruce Lyon, tionary awakening would simultaneously preserve the dignity of humanity’s place in the To understand the [Trans-Himalayan] great chain of being by allowing us to more teaching it must be realized that the teach- deeply serve the divine Purpose emanating ing IS ITSELF that which it seeks to teach. from Shamballa. As such, my sense is that rad- It is a relationship, both vertical and hori- ical awakening to and as the Boundless Immu- zontal, within the consciousness of humani- table Principle will serve as the basis of the ty. Its purpose is to bring together different third phase teaching, in terms of the state of spheres of awareness within the mental life awareness that it is transmitted from, the state of mankind and to bring the mind of man in which it is received, and in terms of its mys- into relationship with both the super and teries forming a foundational pillar of content. sub-human kingdoms. When this has been Additionally, from an evolutionary perspec- achieved the teaching is complete.37 tive, such a group will have as its focus the As is described by Djwhal Khul in his work revelation of the mysteries related to the mo- with Alice Bailey, the Trans-Himalayan teach- nadic level of our being, the cosmic Purpose of ing still has a third phase of expression to Earth and the Life aspect as it expresses come, which is forecast to emerge around the through the universe, on all planes and through year, 2025.38 I propose that this third phase all kingdoms. teaching will involve the ultimate synthesis of The emergence of a trans-lineage group initiate these radical and evolutionary perspectives in a that is able to receive the third phase teachings manner that may then open a space for their continues to be deeply empowered by the respective forms of awakening to spread in- Shamballa Impacts.40 As a result of these creasingly through humanity as a whole. Shamballa Impacts, and as can be seen from a As is in keeping with the group-centered na- glance at the present world condition, the Fire ture of the Aquarian Age that is presently of Truth and the Force of Awakening that dawning, as well as previous proposals by flows from this center of planetary power has

32 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 begun to impact humanity globally. This is members—it will continue to involve an as- occurring both within and outside of the wis- cending movement of human beings through dom traditions, cleaving through all obscura- the first, second, third, fourth and fifth initiations to identification with and as the One Life tions so that they too might serve as the living of Absolute Reality, resulting in profound un- presence of Hierarchy in the world.43 As the foldments within humanity along both the lines chalice into which some of the most profound of radical and evolutionary awakening. teachings on this process have been poured, the Trans-Himalayan community bears the In relation to radical awakening, the Shamballa responsibility not simply to remain faithful Impacts are expressing in radical, nondual custodians of the wisdom it has been given, but awakening breaking forth globally on an un- to deepen into those spheres of awakening, precedented scale. In terms of evolutionary identification, and integration that in truth, are awakening, humanity is penetrating into ever the basis of mastery and whole new levels of deeper levels of monadic identity. More groups service capacity. are learning to open up mature multidimensional relationships with the subtle planes (e.g. If the global Trans-Himalayan community tru- Hierarchy and Shamballa). The resurgence of ly is to contribute to the Externalization of the shamanic forms of spirituality, as an expres- Hierarchy in the fullest way possible, it is vital sion of the incoming 7th Ray, is facilitating that it integrates and embodies a deep experi- humanity’s penetration into new planes of ex- ential understanding of both of these forms of perience. Many other groups are evoking the awakening on mental, emotional, etheric and emergence of new forms of wisdom-centered physical levels. In the radical sense, disciples intelligence. Neuroscientific research studying are called to open to ever-present identification advanced meditators is documenting the emer- with the One Life’s own spontaneously arising gence of new levels of neurobiological com- mastery, and both die into and live from that plexity sufficient to support the incarnation of place. In the evolutionary sense, the communi- these deeper levels of consciousness on the ty must continue to unfold, in the fire of its physical plane.41 There is also an increase in own experience, the deepest expression of earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions what humanity truly is, in addition to the cos- as the inner fires of the body of the Earth are mic destiny that is seeking to express through increasingly stimulated. the Earth. In wondrous recognition of the Great Perfection of the One Life as it is radi- Implications for the Trans- cally ever-present and complete, moment-to- Himalayan Community moment, and a humble visioning of the evolutionary path that lies before us, I dedicate this s 2025 approaches, I propose that it is article to humanity’s collective awakening. A likely that these phenomena will not only continue, but also intensify. And as this process unfolds, the Trans-Himalayan community 1 will have a great deal to offer to the world, in Bruce P. Lyon, Occult Cosmology (Palmerston terms of its increasing ability to serve as pro- North, NZ: Whitestone Publishing, 2010), 48. 2 Ken Wilber, Integral Spirituality ( Boston, found repository of both radical and evolution- MA: Integral Books, 2006), 3-4. ary wisdom. 3 Adi Da, The Knee of Listening (Middletown, There is more to the Trans-Himalayan com- CA: Dawn Horse Press, 2004 Revised and updated edition), 50. munity’s role, however, than simply holding 4 this wisdom. According to Djwhal Khul, 2025 Andrew Cohen, Evolutionary Enlightenment: A New Path to Spiritual Awakening (New is the year in which the Hierarchy will deter- York, NY: SelectBooks, Inc.), 59. mine if and when their full Externalization can 5 42 http://www.beamsandstruts.com/essays/item/- commence. While the Externalization will 934-inner-ecology-thomas-hubl-on-the-shad- surely involve a descending movement of con- ow (accessed May 14, 2013). sciousness and energy—expressed as humani- 6 http://aishasalem.com/en/ (accessed May 14, ty’s open recognition of certain Hierarchical 2013).

7 Lyon, Occult Cosmology, 55. causal and nondual states that are prevalent in 8 Jon Darrall-Rew & Dustin DiPerna, Earth is almost all religious and spiritual traditions. Eden. (Forthcoming). Whereas the quadrants, levels, lines and types 9 Helena P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine relate to the changing and evolving relative (London, UK: Theosophical Publishing reality of the cosmos (evolutionary awakening House, 1928), 42. – a vertical movement in the diagram above), 10 Ibid., 86. states relate to the phases whereby the Abso- 11 Ibid., 86. lute Reality that transcends and includes all 12 Alice A. Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar the planes, comes into manifestation. As such, (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing House, the states relate to radical awakening and will 1922), 92. be discussed further below. 13 Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, 39. 14 According to both Integral Theory, these Michael D. Robbins, On the Monad, (Jersey states are clearly differentiated from levels of City Heights, NJ: University of the Seven consciousness, and the first three of them Rays Publishing House, 2004), 38. 15 (gross, subtle, and causal) can be seen as basic This point necessarily entails the differen- variations on the human sleep cycle. In a tiation between the monadic essence and the twenty-four hour period, no matter what level monadic sheath it expresses through on the of consciousness we may have as our center of monadic plane. 16 gravity (our plane of polarization in Trans- http://silasstoddard.com/Tree-of-Life (access- Himalayan terminology), we move through ed June 22, 2013). states of waking (gross), dreaming (subtle), to 17 Lyon, Occult Cosmology, 46. 18 deep sleep (causal). According to Integral Ibid., 50. Theory, and this is a crucial point for the cur- 19 Lyon, Occult Cosmology, 50. 20 rent article, so also is it the case that no matter It is important to note that Integral Theory has what level of consciousness development a also synthesized a profound depth of wisdom human being may be operating from as their in relation to evolutionary awakening, or what general center of gravity, we all have access to Wilber describes as development through gross, subtle, causal and nondual states. This structure-stages. 21 means that all human beings can experience The quadrants are based in the position that radical awakening, at least as a temporary when considering any question from any sub- peak experience. ject (e.g. psychology, politics, economics, cul- Lastly, types refer to the understanding that ture, spirituality, etc.), at least four different both individuals and collectives may express perspectives need to be taken into account. differently according to their typology. In the These are the interior and exterior perspec- Trans-Himalayan teachings, this might be un- tives of the individual and the collective. derstood according to the Seven Ray teaching, Levels refer to the understanding that reality which tells us that all individuals and groups can be enacted from various different levels of are colored by a particular combination of consciousness, and that our perspectives will Rays. be colored according to what level we are op- 22 Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire erating through. In the Trans-Himalayan (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing House, teaching this finds its correspondence in the 1925), 3. model of the planes and the various levels of 23 Ibid., 3. our being (personality, soul, monad) that op- 24 Ibid., 3. erate on progressively subtler levels. 25 http://www.xdawallpapers.com/file/7657/750- Lines refers to the understanding that whether x488/16:9/water-liquid-solid-gas_21243.jpg we are considering individuals or collectives, (accessed June 22, 2013). there are many different lines of development 26 The dharmakaya, sambogakaya and nirmana- that unfold through the levels (or planes). For kaya form the trikaya, or three buddha-bodies an individual, for instance, we might speak of that are understood within multiple streams of a cognitive line of development, an emotional Buddhist philosophy as both the three great line, a psycho-sexual line, a social intelligence spheres of being that encompass all Reality, line, and so on. and as the attained state of being of a realized The category of states refers to gross, subtle, buddha. Their nondual indivisibility as one

single Absolute Reality is known in some planetary Logos of the Earth are embodied in Buddhist lineages as the svabhavikakaya. the communities of Shamballa, Hierarchy and 27 Ibid., 199. Humanity respectively. Additionally, it is 28 Bailey, The Rays and Initiations, 40. understood that at the present time of plane- 29 Ramana Maharishi is a good example of an tary evolution, there is an activation of the individual whose radical awakening at the age planetary chakras occurring. As a result of of 16 seemed to spontaneously occur and sta- this, now not just the cosmic love-wisdom bilize virtually effortlessly. transmitted by Hierarchy, but the cosmic Will, 30 http://www.rainbowbody.net/Shabkar.htm Purpose and monadic Life of the planetary (accessed June 22, 2013). Logos of the Earth, held in Shamballa, ar e be- 31 Transcription of an oral teaching in Barcelona, ing released into humanity for the first time. Spain. Oct 3, 2010, by Chogyal Namkhai 41 Farb et al. (2007) found that mindfulness prac- Norbu. titioners (with mindfulness understood accord- 32 Tenzin Wangyal, Healing with Form, Energy, ing to the Vipassana position of cultivated me- and Light (Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publica- ta-awareness rather than the Tibetan definition tions, 2002), 141. of mindfulness as related to concentration) 33 Bailey, The Rays and Initiations, 705. were shown to have differentiated the regions 34 Helena I. Roerich, Infinity (New York, NY: of the brain that process immediate self- Agni Yoga Society), stanza 357. referential experience from those that support 35 Bailey, The Rays and Initiations, 363-364. more narrative-based forms of self-reference 36 Djwhal Khul has described that his teach-ing (i.e. self-beliefs and self-construct born of life- through The Trans-Himalayan tradition is in- experience over time), whereas non- tended to have three primary phases of ex- mindfulness practitioners had not. This pression. The first phase ran from 1885-1890 demonstrates that for the majority of human and was given primarily through Helena Bla- beings, awareness remains confused with vatsky. The second phase ran from 1919- thought, self, time and individuation, but that 1949, and was given through Alice Bailey, through spiritual practice and the neuroplastic- though significant contributions also came ity of the brain, this confusion can be reme- through Helena Roerich, and Lucille died, and the freedom and well-being of Cedercrans. The third phase is projected to awakening stabilized. See: Farb, N. A., Segal, emerge around the 2025, though some within Z. V., Mayberg, H., Bean, J., McKeon, D., the tradition understand that Bruce Lyon’s Fatima, Z., et al. (2007). Attending to the pre- work embodies an initial expression of this. sent: Mindfulness meditation reveals distinct 37 Lyon, Occult Cosmology, 12-13. neural modes of self-reference. SCAN, 2, 313- 38 Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age 322. doi:10.1093/scan/nsm030 Volume 1 (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing 42 Alice A. Bailey, Externalisation of the Hierar- House, 1944), 778. chy (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing House, 39 Lyon, Occult Cosmology, 322. 1957), 530. 40 In the Trans-Himalayan teachings it is taught 43 Ibid., 529. that the crown, heart and throat chakras of the

The Path to Higher States of Consciousness as Perceived in the Upanishads, the Yoga Sutras, and the Books of Alice A. Bailey

Iván Kovács

Consciousness might be defined as the faculty of apprehension, and concerns primarily the relation of the Self to the not-self, of the Knower to the Known, and of the Thinker to that which is thought about.1 Alice A. Bailey: A Treatise on Cosmic Fire

Being, per se, can only be grasped by those who have ‘come alive’ monadically, who function in the three worlds of the Spiritual Triad with even greater positivity than the highly advanced personality functions in the three worlds of human evolution . . .2 Alice A. Bailey: The Rays and the Initiations

Abstract all. The esoteric student, however, will inevitably consider life in terms of the evolutionary he purpose of this article is to acquaint the process and the development of consciousness. T reader with those types of consciousness Seen in this context, life as it manifests which are considered to be higher than self- through the evolutionary process, has as its consciousness, and in a general sense, spiritual goal the achievement of full awareness,3 and in nature. In the teachings of Alice A. Bailey includes all stages of consciousness, and ulti- and the Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul, these mately also that high level of awareness known higher types of consciousness are clearly dis- as pure Being, “in which the monad or spirit tinguished from each other as regards their eternally rests.”4 level of influence as well as their nature and quality. In this article knowledge about their Broadly speaking, the uniquely human charac- existence is sought, firstly, in the Upanishads, teristic which distinguishes us from the sub- then in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, with spe- human kingdoms is self-consciousness, or that cial references to occult meditation, one of the faculty which allows us to see ourselves as surest means of arriving at higher levels of individual units of awareness. However, an consciousness. Lastly, an attempt is made to exception needs to be made regarding the clarify the nature of the higher consciousness higher primates, specifically chimpanzees and of the Spiritual Triad, by means of discussing orangutans, who are capable of forming a self- and referencing select passages from the works ______of Alice A. Bailey. About the Author Introduction Iván Kovács is qualified as a fine artist. As a writer he average person might, at times, give he has published art criticism, short stories and po- T thought to that weighty issue concerning ems, and more recently, articles of an esoteric na- the meaning of life, and probably try to answer ture. He is a reader of the classics and modern clas- it in terms of his or her individual religious sics, a lover of world cinema, as well as classical belief system, or if he or she is an agnostic or and contemporary music. His lifelong interest in Esotericism was rounded off with several years of atheist, assign no importance to the question at intensive study with the Arcane School.

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 37 The Esoteric Quarterly image by means of mirror recognition.5 Mirror came under investigation, and were conse- recognition is based upon the mirror test, an quently acknowledged. experiment developed by psychologist Gordon In contrast with the aforementioned disci- Gallup Jr. to determine whether an animal pos- plines, the esoteric tradition and its formula- sesses the ability to recognize itself in a mirror. tions of the Self or the psyche reach back into The mirror test is the primary indicator of self- antiquity. The terms atma, buddhi, and manas, awareness in non-human animals.6 Human be- as used in theosophical literature and the books ings are not only capable of experiencing their of Alice A. Bailey, are of Sanskrit origin, and selfhood in a distinctly personal and individual part of the terminology by which the ancients way; they are also capable of self-reflection tried to make sense of the higher states of hu- and deeper introspection. In exceptional cases man consciousness. Taken, each in turn, atma this can be pursued with such acuteness, that it can be correlated with spirit, buddhi with intui- gives rise to branches of learning that are iden- tion, and manas with the intellectual faculty, or tified as philosophical or metaphysical. the mind. It is possible to approach the subject of con- There are various branches of esoteric study sciousness and the human psyche from various which each use their own method and termi- angles and schools of thought. The approaches nology when dealing with different levels of that come readily to mind in our contemporary consciousness and the constitution of a human times are those that are to be found in the vari- being. To avoid any misunderstandings or con- ous schools of western psychology. Yet, if one fusion, it needs to be pointed out that in this bears in mind that modern psychology goes article, consciousness will be discussed within back no further than William James and Sig- the context in which it was presented by the mund Freud, with James’s The Principles of Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul, and his amanu- Psychology7 first appearing in print in 1890, ensis, Alice A. Bailey. and Freud’s The Origin and Development of Psycho-Analysis8 first seeing the light of day in In order to understand the various degrees of 1910, it needs to be acknowledged that one is consciousness, it is first necessary to look at dealing with a branch of science that is still the constitution of human beings, and clearly largely experimental and has barely come out distinguish between their various vehicles of its infancy. whereby they are able to engage with the realities of life. The constitutional model that will Those who are familiar with the works of be discussed is in use by theosophists, and eso- Freud will agree that there is no acknowl- tericists who follow the teachings of Alice A. edgement of either the Will or the Soul in his Bailey and the Tibetan. writings. Furthermore, Freud attributed all mo- tivational strivings in a human being to basic The Human Constitution drives and urges of a physical nature, with particular emphasis on the sexual. C. G. Jung, he following discussion of the human con- Freud’s most important co-worker, corrected T stitution is intended to provide readers this notion, and developed such concepts as the with a framework whereby a distinction is archetype, the collective unconscious, the made between the various vehicles by which complex, and synchronicity. His interests in- reality can be perceived. Once these distinc- cluded Eastern and Western philosophy, al- tions are understood it will be easier to grasp chemy, astrology, sociology, as well as litera- the meaning of the different types of con- ture and the arts.9 With such an open-minded sciousness with which the spiritual seeker attitude, he at least allowed for the possibility needs to get acquainted once he or she is de- of spheres of influence reaching beyond the termined to tread the Spiritual Path. concrete and material. Yet, it is only with the The first thing that needs to be remembered advent of Transpersonal Psychology that the regarding the human constitution is that each subjective aspects of life and being, and the of its vehicles or bodies corresponds to a paral- true nature and essence of the human psyche lel level or plane which goes into the making

38 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 of the world in which we function. Thus, we crete mind and the spiritual or higher mind, have, from the lowest to the highest or from and is thus a mediator between the lower world the most concrete to the most subtle, the fol- of concrete manifestation, and the world of the lowing gradations: spirit. In Christian terms the soul can be likened to the Inner Christ, or what St. Paul calls Physical vehicle – Physical plane “the Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colos- Etheric vehicle – Etheric plane sians, 1:27). Soul or causal consciousness is Astral (Emotional) vehicle – Astral plane the “first major” objective of all true spiritual seekers. This type of awareness is only possi- Lower mental vehicle (Concrete mind) – Low- ble when the personality recognizes the soul as er mental plane the true inner self, and thus allows itself to be Causal (or Soul) vehicle (Son of Mind) – inspired and guided. Causal plane The Spiritual Triad is the last grouping under Higher mental vehicle (Abstract mind) – High- consideration, and stands in the same relation- er mental plane ship to the monad as the personality to the soul. It is the triad that is formed by atma, Buddhic (Intuitional) vehicle – Buddhic plane buddhi and manas, which respectively stand Atmic (Spiritual) vehicle – Atmic plane for the spiritual will, the intuition, and the abstract, or higher mind. On a microcosmic or Monadic vehicle – Monadic plane human level, it is a replica of the Holy Trinity, To a layman, these gradations might appear to with the spiritual will standing for the Father be foreign and bewildering, but once these ve- aspect; buddhi, or intuition standing for the hicles are sorted into their respective groups, Son aspect; and the higher mind standing for such as the threefold personality, the three as- the Holy Spirit aspect. (In Hinduism these aspects of the mind, and the Spiritual Triad; their pects would translate into the trinity of Shiva, interaction and relationship to each other can Vishnu and Brahma.) It is by using the light of be better understood and appreciated. the soul that the disciple is able to create a pathway of light between the personality and The first grouping to be considered is the the Spiritual Triad, and thereby access the spir- threefold personality, which consists of the itual will, intuitive understanding and the high- physical-etheric, astral and lower mental vehi- er mind.10 cles, and is that vital part of the human constitution whereby we interact with our environ- The last and highest aspect of the human con- ment and fellow human beings. For the majori- stitution is the monad. Its state of awareness is ty of humanity, the next great step on the evo- very different to soul consciousness, which is lutionary ladder is an integrated personality, by fundamentally magnetic, and thus group con- means of which the physical, astral and lower scious. The monad’s unique characteristic is mental vehicles are fully integrated, and can that it is dynamic, and in its fully active state, thus work as a unit. Presently, the greater part aware of its own being and power, without the need to define itself in terms of relationship. Its of humanity is still astrally centered, and needs 11 to be uplifted by means of a proper education nature is pure Spirit, and all that one can as- so that the lower mental plane can become ac- sume is that it radiates the unadulterated Will cessible to them. This will do much to dissi- of God with dynamic intensity. pate the glamour in which the masses are The Upanishads or the Search caught up, and open up the path to the higher realities. for the True Nature of Reality The soul, or causal body, is receiving much hen writing about the Upanishads, attention in all esoteric schools that offer disci- W which form the theoretical basis for the pleship training, since it is on the level of the Hindu religion, Radhakrishnan in his Indian soul that all true disciples are united. The soul Philosophy says the following: “The inner occupies the midway point between the con- immortal self and the great cosmic power are

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 39 The Esoteric Quarterly one and the same. Brahman is the Atman, and is characterized not only by its poetic beauty, the Atman is the Brahman. The one supreme but also its high idealism and deep spirituality. power through which all things have been It is expressive of the sincerest yearning of the brought into being is one with the inmost self spiritual seeker who will stop at nothing in his in each man’s heart.”12 This quotation clearly desire to experience the highest truth. In Alice affirms that the composers of the Upanishads A. Bailey’s Glamour: A World Problem it be- recognized man’s inmost essence as being di- comes the subject of closer analysis. Bailey vine. explains that it refers to the three aspects of glamour, i.e., maya, glamour, and illusion. Unlike the Vedas, which are the earliest docu- These three aspects are considered the major ments of the human mind that we possess,13 obstacles that prevent humanity from realizing and, which are written in poetic and symbolic that the phenomenal world of the three lower form, the Upanishads are philosophical, and planes, namely the physical, astral and con- expound Hindu thought in more direct lan- crete mental are only transitory, and that true guage, although they do retain some of the po- joy and fulfillment is only to be found in the etic tone.14 realm of the soul. In her book, Glamour: A In his discussion of the Upanishads, Radha- World Problem, Bailey says the following: krishnan points out another important distinc- 'Lead us from darkness to light’ refers to tion between these ancient texts. He writes that the mind as it becomes eventually illumined the transcendent conception of God held in the by the light of the intuition; this illumina- Rig-Veda is being transformed into an imma- tion is brought about by the means of the nent one in the Upanishads, and that the Technique of the Presence from Whom the Brahman and the Atman, the cosmic and the light shines. This is the mediating factor psychical principles, are looked upon as identi- producing the Transfiguration of the per- cal.15 sonality, and a centre of radiant light upon Juan Mascaró, translator of the Penguin Clas- the mental plane. This statement is true sics version of the Upanishads confirms whether one is speaking of an individual or Rhadakrishnan’s view, and putting it in a of that focal point of light, which is formed Christian context, says the following: “The by the mental unity and the clear thinking spirit of the Upanishads can be compared with of advanced humanity. These, through the that of the New Testament summed up in the power of their unified mind, will succeed in words “I and my Father are one” and “The ridding the world of some aspects of the kingdom of God is within you,’” the seed of Great Illusion. which is found in the words of the Psalms ‘Lead us from the unreal to the Real’ has “I have said: Ye are gods; and all of you are specific relation to the astral plane and its the children of the most High.”’16 all-encompassing glamours. These glam- It is when man realizes his inner divinity that ours embody the unreal and present them to he becomes an integral part of the creation, and the prisoners of the astral plane, leading discovers the potential powers that make him them to mistake them for the Reality. The an important link in the hierarchical chain of imprisonment by glamour can be ended by being. As this truth dawns on him, his aspira- the activity of the Technique of Light, uti- tion is fired, and his yearning for truth finds lized by those who work – in group for- ways and means to quench the thirst in his mation – for the dissipation of glamour and soul. for the emergence in the consciousness of men of a clear conception and recognition Lead me from the unreal to the real! 18 Lead me from darkness to light! of the nature of Reality. Lead me from death to immortality!17 In the Katha Upanishad, the conflicting values Thus reads that uplifting and evocative prayer of the lower and higher worlds are clearly in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.27) that demonstrated in a lengthy dialogue between the spiritual aspirant, Nachiketas, and Yama,

40 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 the god of death. Nachiketas, who has been Considering this reply by Yama, one is re- offered as a sacrifice to Yama by his father, minded of the parallel that can be drawn be- had waited for three nights in Yama’s abode tween it and the temptation of Jesus in the wil- without food.19 Finally, Yama had pity on him derness by the devil. (The Gospel According to and granted him three boons.20 The first boon Matthew, 4:1-11). It is the successful with- Nachiketas asked for is that he may be reunited standing of temptation, which allows for the with his father, a boon that was easily granted reward of a higher realization, or the initiation by Yama.21 The second boon Nachiketas asked onto a higher level of consciousness, and in the for concerned the sacred fire which leads to Katha Upanishad, Nachiketas successfully heaven, and Death explained to him how this passes the test by replying to Yama: fire-sacrifice was to be carried out.22 Regard- ‘All these pleasures pass away, O End of ing the third boon, Nachiketas addressed Yama all! They weaken the power of life. And in- as follows: deed how short is all life! Keep thy horses ‘When a man dies, this doubt arises: some and dancing and singing. say “he is” and some say “he is not.” Teach Man cannot be satisfied with wealth. Shall me the truth.’23 we enjoy wealth with you in sight? Shall Death replied: we live whilst you are in power? I can only ask for the boon I have asked. ‘Even the gods had this doubt in times of old; for mysterious is the law of life and When a mortal here on earth has felt his death. Ask for another boon. Release me own immortality, could he wish for a long from this.’24 life of pleasures, for the lust of deceitful beauty? However, Nachiketas remains firm, and replies: Solve then the doubt as to the great beyond. Grant me the gift that unveils the mystery. ‘This doubt indeed arose even to the gods, 27 This is the only gift Nachiketas can ask.’ and you say, O Death, that it is difficult to understand; but no greater teacher than you Yama is now convinced that Nachiketas is in can explain it, and there is no other boon so earnest and cannot be swayed from his pur- great as this.’25 pose, thus he decides to instruct Nachiketas, and reveals the mysteries to him: With the above answer, Nachiketas clearly indicates that his resolve to clear up the mys- ‘You have pondered, Nachiketas, on pleas- tery is in earnest. However, Yama, the king of ures and you have rejected them. You have death, is not so easily persuaded, and replies as not accepted that chain of possessions follows: wherewith men bind themselves and be- neath which they sink. ‘Take horses and gold and cattle and ele- phants; choose sons and grandsons that There is the path of wisdom and the path of shall live a hundred years. Have vast ex- ignorance. They are far apart and lead to panses of land, and live as many years as different ends, You are, Nachiketas, a fol- you desire. lower of the path of wisdom: Many pleas- Or choose another gift that you think equal ures tempt you not. to this, and enjoy it with wealth and long When the wise rests his mind in contempla- life. Be a ruler of this vast earth. I will grant tion on our God beyond time, who invisibly you all your desires. dwells in the mystery of things, and in the heart of man, then he rises above pleasures Ask for any wishes in the world of mortals, and sorrow. however hard to obtain. To attend on you I will give you fair maidens with chariots and When a man has heard and understood and, musical instruments. But ask me not, Na- finding the essence, reaches the Inmost, chiketas, the secrets of death.’26 then he finds joy in the Source of joy. Na-

chiketas is a house open for thy Atman, thy energies of the soul, namely mind and love, or God.’28 the principle of consciousness and the life principle, are each assigned their specific lo- It is important to note that in the passage above calities: consciousness in the human brain, and contemplation is identified as the means to the life principle in the human heart.30 It is spiritual consciousness, which then will reveal noteworthy that various that God dwells in the cultures besides the Indi- mystery of things and in It is when man realizes his an, such as the Chinese, the heart of man, and inner divinity that he be- Egyptian and many clas- once the spiritual con- sical Greek philosophers, sciousness has been at- comes an integral part of such as Aristotle, consid- tained, the devotee man- the creation, and discovers er the heart as the seat of ages to rise above pleas- the soul.31 Is it any won- ures and sorrow and as the potential powers that der that most of the pro- the next verse points out, make him an important found experiences that we partakes in the true bless- link in the hierarchical register are primarily felt ing of the soul, which is in our hearts before they joy. Yama also assures chain of being. As this are made conscious, and Nachiketas that his ear- truth dawns on him, his as- later analyzed, in our nest spiritual attitude has piration is fired, and his brains? made him a fit abode for Atman, or the spirit. yearning for truth finds Yama’s exposition about higher consciousness be- Nachiketas, who has now ways and means to quench comes even more specific gained the status of an the thirst in his soul. when he says: accepted disciple, is now entitled to receive the ever deepening words of ‘Beyond the senses are their objects, and wisdom which Yama systematically reveals to beyond the objects is the mind. Beyond the him: mind is pure reason, and beyond reason is the Spirit in man. Atman, the Spirit of vision, is never born and never dies. Before him there was noth- Beyond the Spirit in man is the Spirit of the ing, and he is ONE for evermore. Never- universe, and beyond is Purusha, the Spirit born and eternal, beyond times gone or to Supreme. Nothing is beyond Purusha: He is come, he does not die when the body dies. the End of the path.’32 If the slayer thinks that he kills, and if the An attentive reading of the above reveals a slain thinks that he dies, neither knows the clear distinction between the mind, pure reason way of truth, The Eternal in man cannot and the Spirit in man. The practiced occultist kill; the Eternal in man cannot die. will readily recognize them as the unity of the Spiritual Triad, mind being understood in its Concealed in the heart of all beings is the higher or abstract sense, pure reason being Atman, the Spirit, the Self; smaller than the equated with the intuitional or buddhic faculty, smallest atom, greater than the vast spaces. and Spirit being equated with the atma, also The man who surrenders his human will known as the power or will aspect of a human leave sorrow behind, and beholds the glory being. As regards Purusha, the above passage of the Atman by the grace of the Creator.29 defines it as the Spirit Supreme. In Radha- From the above, one can conclude that the au- krishnan’s Indian Philosophy, Volume I, Puru- thor of this Upanishad clearly identifies the sha is identified with the Absolute33and the essence of life with Atman, or the Spirit, which ultimate principle,34thus identical with what he considers immortal, and which he considers the above Upanishad calls the Spirit Supreme. to be concealed in the heart of all beings. In Yama’s concluding words to Nachiketas are as Alice Bailey’s Esoteric Psychology II, the two follows:

‘Awake, arise! Strive for the Highest, and n the introduction to her book, The Light of be in the Light! Sages say the path is nar- I the Soul, Alice A. Bailey comments on row and difficult to tread, narrow as the Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as follows: edge of a razor. The Yoga Sutras are the basic teaching of The Atman is beyond sound and form, the Trans-Himalayan school to which many without touch and taste and perfume. It is of the Masters of the Wisdom belong, and eternal, unchangeable, and without begin- many students hold that the Essenes and ning or end: indeed above reasoning. When other schools of mystical training and consciousness of the Atman manifests it- thought, closely connected with the founder self, man becomes free from the jaws of of Christianity and the early Christians, are death.’35 based upon the same system and that their teachers were trained in the great Trans- Yama’s final words do not hide the fact that 37 the path is difficult to tread, indeed narrow as Himalayan School. the edge of a razor, a simile which is very Bailey also points out that this “Kingly Science similar to the Noble Middle Path of Buddhism, of the Soul” will find its greatest demonstra- whereupon the disciple walks by a wise bal- tion in the West, because the fifth root race in ancing of the pairs of opposites, and thus its fifth subrace, i.e. the Anglo-Saxon, must avoiding extreme behavior and fanaticism. inevitably touch its highest point.38The oppor- Yama also points out that Spirit is beyond the tunity to reach the highest point will reach its senses and even beyond reasoning, and con- zenith between the years 1965 and 2025 (writ- sciousness of it is so precious that it surpasses ten in 1927),39 which to the present-day disci- even death. ple leaves but a little more than a decade to In conclusion, an example from the Chan- avail him or herself of the opportunity to be dogya Upanishad sums up what the spiritual part of that group which will attain the project- seeker can expect once his or her inner eye has ed goal. This should be seen as an urgent ap- been opened. Time and space are no more ex- peal to spiritual seekers in the Occident to re- perienced as hindrances to unity with the Di- double their efforts, and avail themselves of vine and the disciple can say with conviction the opportunity to study, meditate and serve, and clarity what this Upanishad expresses as because this opportunity is available right now. follows: In answer to the question “What are the Yoga There is a bridge between time and Eterni- Sutras?” Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati of the ty, and this bridge is Atman, the Spirit of Abhyasa Ashram answers as follows: man. Neither day nor night cross that The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali succinctly bridge, nor old age, nor death nor sorrow. outlines the art and science of traditional Evil or sin cannot cross that bridge, because Yoga meditation for Self-Realisation. It is a the world of the Spirit is pure. This is why process of systematically encountering, ex- when this bridge has been crossed, the eyes amining, and transcending each of the vari- of the blind can see, the wounds of the ous gross and subtle levels of false identity wounded are healed, and the sick man be- in the mind field, until the jewel of the true comes whole from his sickness. Self comes shining through.40 To one who goes over that bridge, the night Radhakrishnan in his Indian Philosophy becomes like unto day, because in the basically says the same thing: “Patanjali’s yo- worlds of the Spirit there is a Light which is ga is a system of psychic discipline by which 36 everlasting. we can clear the intellect, free the mind of its illusions and get a direct perception of reality," The “Yoga Sutras”: and further on, a bit more specifically, he From Self-Consciousness to writes: Soul-Consciousness

The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is the oldest begins by defining the higher and lower na- textbook of the Yoga school. It has four tures, and considers the obstacles that arise parts, of which the first treats of the nature from there and the need for their removal. and aim of samadhi, or meditative absorp- Book I concludes with a summation of the Ra- tion (samadhipada), the second explains the ja Yoga system.44 A closer look at Book I re- means of attaining this end (sadhanapada), veals in a nutshell, what the Yoga Sutras intend the third gives an account of the supernor- to do as a whole, i.e. the achievement of union mal powers that can be attained through the between the lower and higher self, while the yoga practices (vibhutipada), and the fourth remaining three books concentrate on how this sets forth the nature of liberation (kaival- can be achieved in practice. yapada).41 The second book of the Yoga Sutras is subti- According to Bailey the Yoga Sutras are so tled The Steps to Union, and is more practical comprehensive, and of such a high order, that and detailed than the first book. Its topic is the not only disciples and initiates, but even the means of attainment, which is to be achieved Masters make use of them and derive benefit by the recognition of the five hindrances to from their teachings.42 Their importance as a union and their removal.45 These hindrances spiritual treatise cannot be underestimated, and are identified as avidya (ignorance), the sense this is reinforced by the fact that there are at of personality, desire, hate, and the sense of least 48 different translations of it into English, attachment.46 and that it has been translated into as many as At this point, it is appropriate to digress some- 33 different languages.43 For those students what from the summation of the Yoga Sutras who approach the esoteric teachings in context and examine in more detail how the five hin- of the writings of Bailey and the Tibetan, the drances to union are perceived and what the preferred version of the Yoga Sutras is Bai- suggested methods are so that they can be suc- ley’s The Light of the Soul, which is a para- cessfully overcome. phrase of the Yoga Sutras by the Tibetan Mas- ter, Djwhal Khul, with a commentary by Bai- The first of the five hindrances, avidya or igno- ley. rance, is considered as the cause of all the other obstructions, because it is “the condition of In an article such as this all that one can do is confusing the permanent, pure, blissful and the to touch upon some key elements of the sub- Self with that which is impermanent, impure, ject under discussion and point out their signif- painful and the not-self.”47 Bailey comments icance and relevance, and then trust that read- on this specific sutra by pointing out that this ers’ interests are sufficiently piqued so that condition of ignorance is characteristic of all they will follow it up with their own investiga- those who as yet do not discriminate between tions. the real and the unreal, between death and im- In this sense, it needs, firstly, to be pointed out mortality, and between light and darkness. In that the most important distinction between this respect, ignorance governs life in the three Raja Yoga as expounded in the Yoga Sutras worlds, because the correspondence between and the yoga traditions that preceded it, is that avidya on the physical plane as experienced by Raja Yoga is primarily the yoga of the mind. man in incarnation is to be found on all planes. When the mind is properly disciplined and Bailey argues that avidya in the initial stage is subjugated, it can be turned into an instrument unavoidable, because “the spiritual unit is born whereby higher states of consciousness be- blind and senseless.”48 At this stage, Bailey come possible, and thus bring the practitioner points out three factors that must be borne in closer to the ideal of realizing his or her spir- mind in connection with the spiritual unit. itual destiny. Firstly, the senses have to be evolved; second- ly, their recognition and use must follow; and In Bailey’s rendering, the first book of the Yo- thirdly, a period undergone wherein the spir- ga Sutras, subtitled The Problem of Union, has itual man utilizes the senses in the fulfillment as its topic the versatile psychic nature and

44 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 of his desire and in so doing, identifies himself God. The whole world is due to the sacri- with his apparatus of manifestation.49 fice of God.52 It becomes clear from the above why the sec- According to the Yoga Sutras, the true reason ond hindrance is considered the sense of per- for our human failings is that we are inevitably sonality, because the personality is the vehicle subjected to maya, glamour, and illusion, by means of which we access the physical which are inherent in the very substance of the world; and why the third hindrance is desire, three lowest levels of the cosmic physical because the physical world is made up of those plane. Through our recognition of a higher objects of pleasure that give rise to desire. The destiny and the ability to identify ourselves fourth hindrance, hate, goes hand in hand with with our souls, we are able to transcend maya, the third, because it is the complementary op- glamour and illusion and thereby achieve lib- posite of the third hindrance, namely aversion eration. 50 for certain objects of the senses. The fifth Perhaps the best answer and alternative view hindrance, attachment, sums up all the others that one can give regarding the Western point and is defined in Sutra 9 as follows: “Intense of view is summed up in the Three Truths desire for sentient existence is attachment. This which appear in Mabel Collins’s The Idyll of is inherent in every form, is self-perpetuating, 51 the White Lotus, and which is worth repeating and known even to the very wise.” here: The five hindrances and the need for their re- There are three truths which are absolute moval are a very apt description of the all too and cannot be lost, familiar world in which we live and struggle, But yet may remain silent for lack of and an unbiased, but realistic view of the gen- speech. eral human condition which results from it. The reasoning behind it is intrinsically sound, The soul of man is immortal, and its future and it is very different to the Christian doctrine is the future of atonement. The atonement, as it is custom- Of a thing whose growth and splendor have arily understood, is a doctrine in light of which no limit, human beings are by nature considered sinful, The principle which gives life dwells in us, and need to be saved from their evil ways. and without us, Contrasting such a view, Radhakrishnan points Is undying and eternally beneficent, is not out the following in his Indian Philosophy: heard or seen Or smelt, but is perceived by the man who There is a cordial harmony between God desires perception. and man in Indian thought, while the opposition between the two is more marked in Each man is his own absolute law-giver, the the West. The mythologies of the peoples dispenser of glory also indicate it. The myth of Prometheus, Or gloom to himself; the decreer of his life, the representative man, who tries to help his reward, his punishment. humanity by defending it against Zeus who These truths, which are as great as is life it- desires to destroy the human race and sup- self, are as simple plant them with a new and better species, As the simplest mind of man. Feed the the story of the labours of Hercules, who hungry with them.53 tries to redeem the world, the conception of Christ as the Son of Man, indicate that man Now that this basic difference between eastern is the centre of attention in the West. Our and western religious doctrines has been point- point here is that the main tendency of the ed out, one can return to answer the all- western culture is an opposition between important question of how the five hindrances man and God, where man resists the might mentioned in the Yoga Sutras are to be dealt of God, steals fire from him in the interests with so that they can be successfully over- of humanity. In India, man is a product of come. Book II, Sutras 10 - 11 provide the answer:

These five hindrances, when subtly known, importance since they contain the key elements can be overcome by an opposing mental at- of occult meditation. They sum up the three titude. indispensable stages of the meditation process, namely: concentration, meditation and con- Their activities are to be done away with, templation which, when successfully followed, through the meditation process.54 lead to sanyama. Sanyama is a Sanskrit word Meditation is the practice for which the Orient which is very difficult to translate into English, is so well-known, and it can be safely stated but which describes a state in which the medi- that the Orientals have developed it to a level tator “has learnt to pierce through all the veils which one can call scientific. It is the heart and and contact the reality behind.”60 To get a bet- soul of the spiritual quest and, besides study, ter idea of this process it is necessary to exam- the most important means to esoteric under- ine each stage more closely. Sutra 1 says the standing and occult wisdom. following about concentration: Before considering the more technical aspects Concentration is the fixing of the chitta of meditation, it is best to look at a few defini- (mind stuff) upon a particular object. This tions of it and thereby gain a more comprehen- is dharana.61 sive view of what it entails. In Bailey’s Letters Among the key elements in the commentary on on Occult Meditation, there are three defini- this sutra, Bailey points out that to the un- tions that are noteworthy and which are word- trained mind concentration “is one of the most ed as follows: difficult stages in the meditation process and Meditation is the expression of the intelli- involves constant unremitting ability to keep gence that links life and form, the self and bringing the mind back to that ‘object’ upon the not-self, and in time and in the three which the aspirant has chosen to concen- worlds the process of this connection even- trate.”62 She suggests the choice of some object tuates on the plane of mind which links the upon which to concentrate, which can be cho- higher and the lower.55 sen from four distinct groups, namely external Meditation is the means whereby the higher objects, such as images of the deity; internal consciousness is contacted.56 objects, such as the centers in the etheric body; qualities, such as the various virtues; or mental The basis of all occult growth is meditation, concepts which may take the form of symbols or those periods of silent gestation in which or of words.63 Concentrating on an object the soul grows in the silence.57 without the interference of any thoughts about Meditation in the Yoga Sutras is treated in other objects, when done successfully for the space of twelve seconds, is a sure sign that true greater detail in Book III, which is subtitled 64 "Union Achieved and its Results" and has as its concentration is being achieved. topic the powers of the soul. The first part of Sutra 2 is very straightforward, and simply this book treats meditation and its various states that “Sustained Concentration (dharana) stages, and the second part the twenty-three is meditation (dhyana).”65 Bailey expands on results of meditation.58 These results refer to this by saying that meditation is but the exten- the various powers that emanate from medita- sion of concentration, and grows out of one’s tion, but which ultimately need to be trans- facility in fixing the mind at will on any par- cended, because they can become the very ob- ticular object. As such, it falls under the same stacles that stand in the way of spiritual union rules and conditions as concentration, with the and liberation.59 only difference between the two being the time 66 The first five sutras of Book III are of vital element.

The next stage of the meditation process, con- indefinitely and at will; polarization of the templation is, in a general sense, the culmina- consciousness in the ego, or soul; the recognition of the yogi’s efforts. Bailey writes that in tion of the lower man as simply an instrument contemplation, the yogi loses sight of his or for communicating with the three lower her brain consciousness; does not allow for planes; the acquisition of the faculty of con- emotional reactions templation, or the atti- regarding the medita- There is a bridge between time tude of the real Identity tion process; and even and Eternity, and this bridge towards the realm of loses sight of his or her the soul; and the ability mental activities, “so is Atman, the Spirit of man. to transmit to the brain, that all the ‘modifica- Neither day nor night cross via the controlled tions’ of the thinking that bridge, nor old age, nor mind, the knowledge of process, all the emo- the self and its king- tional reactions of the death nor sorrow. Evil or sin dom to the man on the desire-mind (kama- cannot cross that bridge, be- physical plane. Sanya- manas) vehicle are cause the world of the Spirit is ma is thus the attain- subdued, and the yogi ment of the power of is unaware of them. He pure. This is why when this meditation, which is is, however, intensely bridge has been crossed, the the objective of the alive and alert, positive Raja Yoga system.69 and awake, for the eyes of the blind can see, the Sutra 5 states that “as a brain and the mind are wounds of the wounded are result of sanyama held by him in a steady healed, and the sick man becomes the shining forth grip, and are used by of the light.”70 The him without any inter- comes whole from his sickness. light referred to in this ference on their part.”67 sutra is the light of the soul, and with it come The outstanding characteristics of contempla- illumination of perception, lucidity of con- tion are absorption in the soul consciousness, sciousness, the shining forth of insight, and liberation from the three worlds, realization of illumination of the intellect.71 oneness with all souls, and illumination. Ab- sorption in the soul consciousness allows for The greater part of Book III is a description of awareness of the soul in all things; liberation the various powers or siddhis that are acquired from the three worlds allows the yogi freedom as a result of soul consciousness, which will from form, from desire and from the lower not be dealt with in this article. Many of them mental substance; realization of oneness with might appear as fantastic, and thus difficult to all souls brings about a true sense of group attain by the average disciple, so it is deemed consciousness; and illumination, or perception more reasonable to point out how soul con- of the light aspect of manifestation brings the sciousness is expected to be experienced by yogi en rapport with the light which an object those who can achieve it by means of regular might be hiding.68 meditation, rather than by those highly advanced disciples who take soul consciousness Sutra 4 of Book III sums up the three preced- for granted, and in whom continuity of con- ing sutras as follows: sciousness is fully developed. When concentration, meditation and con- Once the soul starts to assert itself; its presence templation form one sequential act, then is will be experienced in a variety of ways, such sanyama achieved. as a sense of joy, a sense of heartfelt identifica- Reading Bailey’s commentary on this sutra, tion with other souls, a sense of deeper mean- arriving at the stage of sanyama is to be under- ing resulting from the recognition of the sub- stood as a significant achievement. It entails jective aspects of life, and a sense of true spir- the following: a freeing of the yogi from the itual destiny and purpose. Soul consciousness three worlds; the ability to focus the attention also brings with it a new way of perceiving

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 47 The Esoteric Quarterly space and time, and we experience in a more and a direct link between the three aspects direct and real sense what it means to live in of the monad and the three aspects of the the Eternal Now. The phenomenal world of personality becomes possible and effective, concrete manifestation and the senses become and by means of which the monad, or spirit, just that, namely phenomenal, in which each can express itself fully in the world of man- player plays an intricate part, but also a part ifestation or the world of form.72 which in context of the greater whole is condi- Another way of approach to the Spiritual Triad tional and transitory, i.e. qualified by the re- is by means of studying those qualities and strictions of space and time. properties which are characteristic of the initi- As far as the discussion of the Yoga Sutras in ate of the third degree, or the disciple who has this article is concerned one need go no further appropriated and can make conscious use of than to point out that even this detailed and his mental vehicle as it is employed in service scientific treatise on Raja Yoga only makes of the soul. This is more succinctly expressed brief reference to what is to be expected when in Alice A. Bailey’s The Rays and the Initia- one advances beyond soul consciousness. tions, which reads as follows: The Higher Consciousness of After the third initiation, the “Way” is carried forward with great rapidity, and the the Spiritual Triad “bridge” is finished which links perfectly here are several ways of approach by the higher spiritual Triad and the lower ma- T which one can try to understand the con- terial reflection. The three worlds of the sciousness which is characteristic of the Spir- Soul and the three worlds of the Personality itual Triad, and all of them are equally im- become one world wherein the initiate portant to aid the disciple in trying to form a works and functions, seeing no distinction, comprehensive idea or view. These ways of regarding one world as the world of inspira- approach are closely interrelated, and are to be tion and the other world as constituting the looked upon as fragments that go into the mak- field of service, yet regarding both together ing of a whole. as forming one world of activity.73 The most practicable way is by means of a Thirdly, a way of approach to the Spiritual Tri- comprehensive understanding of all that has ad can be made by studying the degree of been given out in regard to the teaching about awakening of the human energy centers, and the antahkarana, or the building of the “rain- how they are transmuted into and related to bow bridge,” which forms a link between the their corresponding higher centers. In this re- lower and higher mind, and thus creates a gard, one needs to examine the relationship pathway between the lowest aspect of the Spir- between the three head centers, i.e. the crown itual Triad and the highest aspect of the per- center, the brow or ajna center, and the alta sonality. In a previous article dealing specifi- major center, and their significance as related cally with the antahkarana this author de- to the opening of the third eye. scribed this building process as follows: In A Treatise on Cosmic Fire Bailey points out (It) is dependent on the conscious effort and that one first needs to know that there is a evocative power of the soul-infused per- close connection between the alta major center sonality, aided by visualization and the and the throat center, the heart center and the ability to keep the channel between soul- pituitary body, and between the head center mind-brain open and aligned. The final and the pineal gland.74 Further on she explains stages of the building process extend to in- that the accurate realization by the physical clude the consciousness of the intuition and brain of what the Ego is seeking to convey the spiritual will, and ultimately, the monad concerning the work to be done only becomes itself, by which time the role of the soul as possible when two things are realized: mediator between that which is “lower” and Direct alignment. that which is “higher” becomes redundant,

The transmission of the egoic energy or candidate preparing for the fifth initiation, will to one or other of the three physical which will qualify him as a Master, can reach centres in the head: no higher than the spiritual or atmic plane. It is only those Masters who have taken initiations The pineal gland. higher than the fifth that can be said to possess The pituitary body. monadic consciousness, a state of being that no The alta major centre, or that nerve centre one who manifests through a physical body at the top of the spine, where the cranium can fathom, unless he is an Avatar who has and the spine make approximate contact. incarnated for a specific purpose, and there- When this congery of nerves is fully devel- fore, needs to make use of a physical body. oped, it forms a centre of communication Conclusion between the vital energy of the spinal column (the kundalini fire) and the energy of ankind’s journey from its earliest begin- the two head centres above enumerated. It M nings, and its consequent odyssey from is the physical correspondence to the self-consciousness to group consciousness and antaskarana (sic) on higher levels.75 beyond, is a work of arduous effort and striving that can only be achieved within the span Bailey concludes her most essential observa- of countless epochs and innumerable existenc- tion about the above mentioned three centers es. Yet it is a journey which can be achieved as follows: with more and more surety as we witness the As these three types of energy, or the vibra- tangible results of our evolution, and follow tion of these three centres, begin to contact the dictates of those great Sons of God who each other, a definite interplay is set up. have walked before us, and due to their This triple interplay forms in time a vortex achievements, are qualified to point the way or centre of force, which finds its place in which leads us from the unreal to the real, the centre of the forehead, and takes even- from darkness to light, and from death to im- tually the semblance of an eye looking out mortality. It is by our firm decision to set our between the other two. It is the eye of the feet on the Spiritual Path that we find the inner vision, and he who has opened it can Kingdom of God, and consequently, allow for direct and control the energy of matter, see the promise to be fulfilled that puts us in direct all things in the Eternal Now, and therefore, and spiritual kinship with God. be in touch with causes more than with effects, read the akashic records, and see 1 Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire clairvoyantly. Therefore, its possessor can (1962; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing 76 control the builders of low degree. Company, 1977), 243. 2 Alice A. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations Lastly, it needs to be said that although the (1960; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing monad first makes its influence felt after the Company, 1976), 263. disciple has taken the third initiation, there are 3 Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology, Vol. I several important steps before full monadic (1962; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing consciousness can be realized. Initiates of the Company, 1979), 131. third degree are disciples who are rapidly de- 4 Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic veloping soul consciousness and who are adept (1951; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing Company, 1980), 212. at using their higher minds. It is only when 5 disciples are in the process of preparing for the http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%- Great Renunciation, whereby they will be able 2FBF02437424?LI=true (accessed January 20, 2013). to cut all binding ties from the concrete world 6 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_test (ac- of manifestation, that they will have the ability cessed January 20, 2013). to fully appropriate the next plane of con- 7 William James, The Principles of Psychology sciousness, that of buddhi, also known as the (1952; reprint; Chicago: Encyclopedia Britan- plane of intuition or pure reason. Even the nica, Inc., 1980), vi.

8 Sigmund Freud, The Major Works of Sigmund 38 Ibid., ix. Freud (1952; reprint; Chicago: Encyclopedia 39 Ibid., xii. Britannica, Inc., 1980), v. 40 http://www.swamij.com/yoga-sutras.htm (ac- 9 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Jung (accessed November 2, 2012). cessed January 24, 2013). 41 Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. II, 10 Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, 341. Vol. I (1972; reprint; New York: Lucis Pub- 42 Alice A. Bailey, The Light of the Soul, 379. lishing Company, 1976), 71. 43 http://www.swamij.com/yoga-sutras.htm (ac- 11 Alice A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar cessed November 5, 2012). (1951; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing 44 Alice A. Bailey, The Light of the Soul, 1. Company, 1977), xv. 45 Ibid., 113. 12 Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. I 46 Ibid., 127. (1923; reprint t; London: George Allen & 47 Ibid., 115. Unwin Ltd, 1971), 146. 48 Ibid., 132. 13 Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, 63. 49 Ibid., 132. 14 http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?- 50 Ibid., 136. qid=20081005185226AAmkRQ7 (accessed 51 Ibid., 137. October 23, 2012). 52 Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, 41. 15 Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, 53 http://hpb.narod.ru/IdyllLotus.htm (accessed 169. January 31, 2013) 16 The Upanishads (1965; London: Penguin 54 Alice A. Bailey, The Light of the Soul, 115. Books Ltd), 7. 55 Alice A. Bailey, Letters on Occult Meditation, 17 The Upanishads Part II (1962; New York: (1950; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing Dover Publications, Inc.), 83-84. Company, 1979), 227. 18 Alice A. Bailey, Glamour: A World Problem 56 Ibid., 285. (1950; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing 57 Ibid., 326. Company, 1978), 198. 58 Alice A. Bailey, The Light of the Soul, 235. 19 The Upanishads (1965; London: Penguin 59 Ibid., 240. Books Ltd), 55. 60 Ibid., 252. 20 Ibid., 55. 61 Ibid., 243. 21 Ibid., 55-56. 62 Ibid., 243-244. 22 Ibid., 56. 63 Ibid., 244, 245. 23 Ibid., 56. 64 Ibid., 246. 24 Ibid., 57. 65 Ibid., 247. 25 Ibid., 57. 66 Ibid., 247. 26 Ibid., 57. 67 Ibid., 249. 27 Ibid., 57. 68 Ibid., 250. 28 Ibid., 58, 59. 69 Ibid., 251 - 252. 29 Ibid., 59. 70 Ibid., 252. 30 Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology II (1970; 71 Ibid., 253 - 254. reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing Compa- 72 Iván Kovács, The Relationship between the ny, 1975), 68. Soul-infused Personality, Discipleship and the 31 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_heart Project of Building the Antahkarana, (The (accessed March 22, 2013). Esoteric Quarterly, Winter 2011). 32 The Upanishads (1965; London: Penguin 73 Alice A. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, BooksLtd), 61. (1960; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing 33 Radhakrishnan, Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, Company, 1976), 445. 105. 74 Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 34 Ibid., 121. (1962; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing 35 The Upanishads (London: Penguin Books Ltd, Company, 1977), 169. 1965) 61. 75 Ibid., 960, 962. 36 Ibid., 121. 76 Ibid., 1010-1011. 37 Alice A. Bailey, The Light of the Soul, (1955; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing Compa- ny, 1978), xv.

Modern Science, Psychology, and the Enduring Mystery of Consciousness: An Esoteric/Mystical Critique, Part III, G.I. Gurdjieff and the Fourth Way

James Moffatt

Abstract topic of scientific interest. Typically, during the 1970s, psychologists’ renewed interest in n continuing to develop an esoteric critique consciousness focused primarily on the con- I of the study of consciousness as it is under- tents of experience—particularly thinking— taken by most modern psychologists and scien- and tended to equate consciousness with what tists, this is the first of two articles focusing on William James termed “the stream of experi- Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way teaching. According to ence.” Gurdjieff, our normal waking consciousness is a state of waking sleep and, therefore, human In the ensuing years, as consciousness research beings are not properly conscious. However, has become increasingly the domain of brain Gurdjieff asserts that human beings possess researchers, its study has been pursued in dormant faculties of higher consciousness and terms of a materialist-mechanistic-reductionist- being that may be awakened through a process atheistic paradigm. The governing assump- of self-transformation. He contends that this tion, which guides that research, is that con- process of “knowing oneself” is dependent sciousness is somehow generated by the upon the systematic study of oneself and the brain’s physiological processes. While the evi- Universe in terms of an esoteric teaching. This dence to substantiate that view is essentially article is intended to provide an introduction to non-existent, it is regarded, paradoxically, as a Gurdjieff’s teaching, while also using it to self-evident truth. There is also widespread, identify and elaborate upon the radical differ- tacit agreement among consciousness re- ences between an esoteric teaching’s under- searchers that there is no spiritual property or standing of and approach to the study of con- principle at the heart of a human being and, sciousness and the materialist paradigm which therefore, no need to include any consideration dominates modern science and psychology. of spiritual properties or dimensions when con- templating the mysteries of consciousness. An Overview of Issues Further, as part of the behavioral legacy within Confronting Consciousness modern psychology, there exists a convention cum article of faith that the scientific study of Researchers consciousness precludes any form of self-study n the first two articles in this series, a review ______I of modern psychology’s peculiar history, regarding the subject of consciousness, was About the Author presented in order to identify why behavioral James Moffatt was raised in Ottawa, Ontario, where psychologists initially banned “consciousness” he attended Carleton University and earned degrees from their studies as being “unscientific”— in both Sociology and Psychology. For the past 35 particularly, because of its association with years, James has collaborated with Dr. Christopher other such ethereal concepts as “the soul”— Holmes in studying, writing, and lecturing about and how that perspective continued to influ- consciousness from an esoteric mystical perspec- ence psychologists’ theoretical assumptions tive. James resides in Toronto, where he is em- and methodological choices when they eventu- ployed as a law clerk, and also works as a freelance ally recognized consciousness as a legitimate legal and medical writer.

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 51 The Esoteric Quarterly and, thus, must necessarily involve external recognized as legitimate complementary epis- observation. Finally, the reductive complex, temological approaches. Instead, only the eye which dominates modern psychology, dictates of the flesh, which apprehended the material that increased precision—as determined by world through external observation, was con- predictive power—demands explanations at sidered to yield objective knowledge. Moreo- the simplest, most rudimentary material level. ver, in legitimizing this blatant misrepresenta- Within consciousness studies, this has led the- tion of both epistemology and science, materi- orists and researchers to either dismiss con- alists invoke “the myth of the given”: the consciousness as being epiphenomenal—nothing tention that their empiricism involves nothing more than a label to describe psychological more than recording that which may be appre- functioning—or to focus on determining the hended by the senses through external observa- “neural correlates of consciousness” which are tion and, thus, is unsullied by any source of assumed to provide the missing causal link subjectivity. between the brain and behavior. Esoteric teachings depict humans as multi- The modern psychological approach to con- dimensional beings existing within a multi- sciousness must be understood as being part of dimensional Universe. They claim that the the fulfillment of Galileo’s contention that sci- level of one’s knowledge is dependent upon ence must deal with only those primary quali- the level of one’s consciousness, and as such, ties that are measurable. In fulfilling what R.D. the most objective knowledge of oneself and Laing termed Galileo’s “audacious program,” the Universe demands the attainment of those modern science grew increasingly dismissive higher states of consciousness which involve of anything which was not quantifiable, and as transcendent experiences of unity and a direct such, “experience” came to be regarded as unmediated knowledge of oneself and the Uni- nothing more than a secondary quality which, verse. From an esoteric perspective, the prima- because it could not be measured, was of no ry failing of modern consciousness research is particular significance. Ken Wilber has ex- that it does not recognize the existence and plained the distrust of the reality of experience significance of scale in addressing the hierar- as part of the wider dismissal of interior quali- chy of consciousness, which exists both within ties which resulted in the collapse of “the human beings and the cosmos. Because mod- Great Chain of Being”—or that which he terms ern psychologists and scientists do not recog- “the Great Nest of Being”—which followed nize the importance of scale, they fail to under- the Enlightenment and accompanied the as- stand that a lower level of consciousness can- cendancy of modern science. The Great Nest not understand a higher level. From an esoteric refers to a hierarchical conceptualization of perspective, the objective knowledge of the consciousness and the cosmos—a hierarchy of material realm is incomplete and limited pre- being and knowing—in which each lower lev- cisely because it does not recognize the higher el, while possessing its own distinct qualities levels in the Great Nest—the subtle dimen- and laws, is subsumed by higher levels. The sions—that inform and subsume it. Esoteric Great Nest—a ladder of Creation which in- teachings consistently describe consciousness volved matter, body, mind, soul, and Spirit— as a universal property which manifests, in collapsed into the flatland of matter, which varying degrees of subtlety and refinement, in modern scientists came to regard as the only the dimensions that comprise the cosmological realm of significance. hierarchy. As such, consciousness is neither reducible to human psychological functions, As part of the collapse which resulted in that nor to the brain’s physiological processes. The which Max Weber described as “the disen- ancient esoteric aphorism, inscribed above the chantment of the world,” Wilber says that Temple of Apollo at Delphi, stated: “Man, modern science also dismissed epistemological know thyself, and thou wilt know the Universe pluralism. Thus, the three traditional ways of and the gods.” Esoteric teachings take the knowing—the eye of the flesh, the eye of the meaning of that aphorism literally: by knowing mind, and the eye of the spirit—were no longer

52 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 oneself, it is possible to acquire those higher was and how he is to be regarded must be sep- states of consciousness and being that yield an arated from assessing his remarkable Fourth objective knowledge of the Universe and the Way teaching. As the focus of this article is on gods. his teaching, the provocative and highly significant question of coming to terms with Gurd- George I. Gurdjieff’s esoteric Fourth Way jieff will be deferred to a subsequent article.2, 3 teaching comprises a highly sophisticated, elegant, and coherent model of consciousness that Gurdjieff was born in the Caucasus region of proffers a radically different understanding of what was, then, Russia and is currently Arme- the nature of human beings and their cosmic nia. He maintained that he began, at a very connections from that which modern scientific early age, to experience “an irrepressible striv- materialists put forth. Gurdjieff’s insistence ing” to know and understand the purpose of that the proper study of consciousness de- life on Earth and, in particular, that of humani- mands systematic self-study aimed at self- ty. In pursuing his seemingly impossible aim, transformation challenges the epistemological he read voraciously and, as a young man, he assumptions that underlie and guide virtually began what would become more than twenty all contemporary scientific studies of con- years of travels throughout Asia in search of sciousness. In contrast to modern science’s esoteric knowledge. Having contacted and distrust and dismissal of experience, Gurd- studied with various esoteric groups, he jieff’s method demands a comprehensive un- claimed to have fulfilled his search when he derstanding of experience and a dynamic dis- discovered the existence of an ancient esoteric sipation of its habitual structures—in pursuit of teaching which had been lost or, at least, had the aim of transforming the very nature of disappeared for thousands of years. As a result, one’s consciousness and being. Gurdjieff he made it his mission to reformulate the claims that the distinctions between psycholo- Fourth Way in order to make it comprehensi- gy and cosmology are, in essence, artificial; as ble to the modern mind and to bring it to the such, his system involves the pursuit of self- West. knowledge through the parallel study of both Establishing himself in Moscow in 1913, oneself and the Universe. This article provides Gurdjieff began working with select groups of an overview of some of the fundamental tenets pupils—to whom he introduced his teaching. of Gurdjieff’s teaching. The author’s aim is to From that time until his death in Paris in 1949, describe a model of the origins and nature of his work with various groups of pupils (pri- human consciousness which challenges mod- marily in France and the United States after the ern science’s fundamental assumptions, postu- revolution had forced him to leave Russia) was lates, and methods with respect to the study of continually changing in terms of its presenta- consciousness. tion and its emphasis. In addition to lecturing G.I. Gurdjieff on the psychological and cosmological aspects 1 of the Fourth Way, he worked intensively with eorge. I. Gurdjieff (1866-1949) was a his students to develop physical awareness and G remarkable, enigmatic, profound, and consciousness by instructing them in highly mysterious figure. He has been called a mystic, sophisticated movements, “sacred gymnas- a master, a messenger from above … a charla- tics,” and Eastern dances. While the external tan, a con man, an ignoramus, a “rascal form and content of his work was continually sage”… and, in his own uncharacteristically changing, Gurdjieff’s purpose—to aid those self-effacing term, “a teacher of dance.” While who were seeking to awaken—remained his all of these terms are useful, to some extent, in most immediate goal. However, the nature and coming to terms with certain aspects of Gurd- purpose of his mission—his larger purpose in jieff—or, at least, of the roles that he played— reformulating the Fourth Way—is as mysteri- they are, ultimately, misleading and entirely ous as Gurdjieff himself and continues to be a inadequate in terms of capturing the singular topic of intense debate.4 nature of his being and his level of consciousness. Moreover, questions as to who Gurdjieff The Fourth Way

any of those who have written about unity, will, and freedom. According to Gurd- M Gurdjieff have put forth the idea that his jieff, our apparent possession of such attributes teaching is an amalgamation of the numerous is illusory. Human beings—sleepwalkers esoteric ideas, practices, and disciplines that he sleepwalking through a sleeping world—are encountered in his years of searching and stud- machines; automatons who are not properly ying. They cite the existence of several ele- conscious, unified, able to do anything or free. ments of The Fourth Way in the teachings of We do not know ourselves. other esoteric groups and schools—such as the Gurdjieff states that human beings typically Sufis, Essenes, Gnostics, Tibetan Buddhists, exist in two states of consciousness: sleep and Zoroastrians, Kabbalists, neo-Platonists, Egyp- the so-called “waking state”—or what he tian mystery cults, and Rosicrucians—as evi- sometimes refers to as “relative conscious- dence that Gurdjieff cobbled his teaching to- ness.” However, he asserts that there exist two gether from numerous esoteric sources. Wil- states of higher consciousness that human be- liam Patrick Patterson, a Fourth Way student ings can acquire, through systematic efforts to and teacher whose lineage is directly related to awaken, and make more or less permanent Gurdjieff, argues compellingly that those mak- within themselves: “self-consciousness” and ing that claim have seriously misrepresented “objective consciousness.” Gurdjieff character- the teaching and, in doing so, misunderstood izes self-consciousness as a state in which an its uniqueness. As Patterson points out, Gurd- individual knows the truth about himself, and jieff stated unequivocally that the Fourth Way objective consciousness as the state in which was an ancient teaching which had appeared he knows the truth about everything. He and disappeared over the course of thousands claims that, while we assume that we are nor- of years. Furthermore, Gurdjieff characterized mally in a state of self-consciousness when we the Fourth Way as occupying a unique position are awake—or that we can be at will—such a within the esoteric tradition, which he defined belief is an illusion: one which is responsible as consisting of four principal lines: the Hebra- for our profound failure to realize the nature of ic, the Egyptian, the Persian, and the Hindu.5 the “sleeping world” in which we exist and in In contrast, Gurdjieff said of The Fourth Way: which “everything happens.” Moreover, ac- “The teaching whose theory is here being set cording to Gurdjieff, we mistakenly believe out is completely self-supporting and inde- that we are properly conscious, unified beings pendent of other lines and it has been com- who possess will. Nevertheless, he contends pletely unknown up to the present time.”6 [em- that self-consciousness is a human being’s phasis added] There is nothing ambiguous in rightful state—rather than the waking sleep Gurdjieff’s description of the uniqueness of his and false consciousness system in which most teaching; yet, somehow, numerous commenta- people are unknowingly imprisoned—and that tors have ignored his unequivocal declaration. by working to acquire self-consciousness, an At the very heart of Gurdjieff’s teaching is his individual can begin to attain unity and self- claim that human beings are “asleep.” What mastery. we take to be our normal waking state of con- In broad terms, the ideas and practices that sciousness, he says, is a waking sleep—not Gurdjieff taught may be understood as being a sleep as we normally understand it, but rather a method of awakening and developing those state of hypnotic sleep and mechanical, associ- higher faculties of human consciousness and ative existence. The fact that virtually no one being that are normally dormant. Thus, his sys- believes or even suspects this to be true re- tem begins with the study of human beings, as flects both the extent to which our lives are they are, in order to suggest the miraculous lived out in this sleep, as well as the existence possibilities of what they are capable of be- of several other unrecognized psychological coming through a process of conscious evolu- illusions that are critical in maintaining our tion. This conscious transformation of one’s characteristic state of ignorance about our- being demands that one must fulfill the ancient selves. In addition to “consciousness,” we typ- esoteric dictum, know thyself. To know one- ically ascribe to ourselves the properties of

54 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 self, according to Gurdjieff, demands the par- a path of faith or devotion per se. Instead, it is allel study of oneself and the world; for he as- a path of understanding: a method which in- serts that psychology and cosmology are inte- volves what Ken Wilber terms “spiritual em- grally related and inform one another. For piricism.” Thus, one must confirm the validity such study, a system is necessary; for self- of the teaching’s concepts through the study of study undertaken on an ad hoc basis or in oneself and the Universe. Indeed, Gurdjieff terms of any arbitrarily selected or determined cautioned his pupils that the willingness “to approach is useless. Moreover, in order to believe any old tale” was a most insidious awaken, one must have a teacher—one who manifestation of the state of sleep and suggest- possesses a higher level of consciousness and ibility from which they were striving to awak- being—in order to instruct and guide one’s en. Unlike most esoteric schools, there is no efforts to meet the extraordinary demands and need to isolate oneself or retire from the challenges involved in fulfilling the arduous rounds of daily life by entering a cloistered and often perilous process of self- community in order to follow the Fourth Way. transformation and self-realization. Instead, it is the path of the sly man who is, as the Sufis say, “in the world, but not of it.” The term, “the Fourth Way,” denotes both the teaching’s connections with and distinction The Imprisonment of from the three classic esoteric paths or ways of “Waking Sleep” conscious development: those of the fakir, the monk, and the yogi. According to Gurdjieff, urdjieff asserts that, in our lives as we live the way of the fakir involves the transfor- G them “normally,” everything happens. All mation of one’s being through the discipline of our great ideas about what we do and what we the body, resulting in the attainment of will. should do are illusory, he claims. In a conver- The path of the monk focuses on mastering sation with P.D. Ouspensky—his most famous worldly desires through faith and devotion. pupil and the author of In Search of the Mirac- The yogi attains self-realization through ulous, the classic account of their years togeth- knowledge by concentrating on the develop- er in Russia—Gurdjieff spoke of man as a ma- ment and control of the mind. While acknowl- chine who cannot do: edging that each of these ways can yield sig- ... man’s chief delusion is his conviction nificant results in the quest for self-realization, that he can do. All people think that they Gurdjieff contended that each also imposes can do, all people want to do, and the first formidable limitations on most aspirants’ ef- question all people ask is what they are to forts. The Fourth Way, he explained, was a do. But actually, nobody does anything and method designed to surmount the respective nobody can do anything. This is the first deficiencies of the other three paths by coordi- thing that must be understood. Everything nating the simultaneous awakening of the dis- happens. All that befalls a man, all that is tinct intelligences of the body, the emotions, done by him, all that comes from him—all and the intellect. As a result, the student’s de- this happens. velopment was at once accelerated and econ- omized—especially so, because the pattern and Man is a machine. All his deeds, actions focus of effort, which the teacher prescribed, words, thoughts, feelings, convictions, took each individual’s unique characteristics opinions, and habits are the result of exter- into account. nal influences, external impressions. Out of himself a man cannot produce a single Other differences between the traditional thought, a single action. Everything he methods and The Fourth Way, which make the says, does, thinks, feels—all this happens. latter seem particularly well-suited to Western- Man cannot discover anything, invent any- ers, are the system’s emphasis on the devel- thing. It all happens. opment of understanding through self-study and its accessibility. Although the Fourth Way To establish this fact for oneself, to under- contains profound spiritual teachings, it is not stand it, to be convinced of its truth, means

getting rid of a thousand illusions about but one which is essential to becoming what he man … Everything happens. terms “a man without quotation marks.” Gurd- jieff often said that, for a serious person, the But no one will ever believe you if you tell possibility of escaping the imprisonment of the him he can do nothing. This is the most of- sleeping world can be the only thing of real fensive and the most unpleasant thing you importance. But few people give any thought can tell people. It is particularly unpleasant to escape—for the simple reason that hardly and offensive because it is the truth, and anyone realizes that he or she is in prison, and nobody wants to know the truth.7 would not believe you if you told them so. And In addition to this seemingly preposterous even fewer people are interested in making an statement, Gurdjieff makes the equally radical effort to escape, because to do so means long assertion that there is an absence of unity in and hard work. human beings: that we possess no permanent Within Gurdjieff’s system, awakening depends “I.” He maintains that, in our normal waking on the development and acquisition of con- sleep, we lack unity—that, rather than being sciousness. But the acquisition of conscious- integrated, unified beings possessing a perma- ness must begin with the realization that, in our nent and unchangeable “I,” we exist as a col- normal waking state, we are typically not con- lection of many little, separate “i”s. Our “i”s scious. When Ouspensky, who was thoroughly are continually and unconsciously changing in schooled in western psychology and philoso- ways we neither recognize nor suspect. “Every phy, stated that it is generally agreed that “con- thought, every mood, every desire, every sen- sciousness” is indefinable, Gurdjieff dismissed sation says ‘I,’”8 according to Gurdjieff and, the objection as being nothing but the parroting therefore, we make a profound mistake when of what he termed “rubbish” and “the usual we take ourselves—as we normally do—to be, scientific sophistry.” He countered by identify- always, one and the same person. We believe ing the definitive feature of consciousness and erroneously that the actions, thoughts, desires, the means by which it must be studied: moods, and feelings are expressions of the Whole—one’s entire being—whereas, in reali- … you can know consciousness only in ty, the Whole exists only in the sense of the yourself. Observe that I say you can know, continuity of our physical being and in the ab- for you can know it only when you have it. stract, as a concept. Instead, we exist as a se- And when you have not got it, you can ries of changing, unconscious, independent and know that you have not got it, not at that frequently antagonistic different “i”s. Although very moment, but afterwards. I mean that there are some collections of “i”s that are more when it comes again you see that it has or less coherent and some “i”s are stronger been absent a long time, and you can find than others, they have been formed accidental- or remember the moment when it disap- ly and mechanically. Most importantly, Gurd- peared and when it reappeared.9 jieff argues: there is, in reality, no coherent and By studying consciousness within oneself, it is unchangeable “I.” possible to observe that there have been peri- To this rather grim and unforgiving depiction ods in which consciousness has been absent— of human beings’ sleeping, mechanical exist- that one has been asleep—but one is only ca- ence, Gurdjieff adds one potentially positive pable of realizing that this is so only after re- element: that it is possible to awaken and es- gaining consciousness. Continuing, Gurdjieff cape this imprisonment. Further, he states une- explains that: quivocally that it is possible to achieve unity You can also define the moments when you by uncovering and apprehending the real “I” are nearer to consciousness and further element which exists within us, but which away from consciousness. But by observing must be attained through the process of awak- in yourself the appearance and disappear- ening. To cultivate the realization of “I” within ance of consciousness you will inevitably oneself is an unimaginably difficult, subtle, see one fact which you neither see nor and complex process, according to Gurdjieff,

acknowledge now, and that is that moments tify critical aspects of consciousness which, of consciousness are very short and are with few exceptions, have escaped modern separated by long intervals of completely psychologists and scientists—because they do unconscious, mechanical working of the not study consciousness within themselves. machine. [emphasis added] You will see Between the poles of “waking sleep” and “self- then that you can think, feel, act, speak, consciousness,” there exists a continuum of work, without being degrees and gradations conscious of it. And The primary failing of modern of self-awareness. if you learn to see consciousness research is that Once one becomes in yourselves the aware of this hidden moments of con- it does not recognize the exist- variable of conscious- sciousness and the ence and significance of scale ness, begins to observe long periods of me- its vicissitudes, and chanicalness, you in addressing the hierarchy of attempts to actively will as infallibly see consciousness, which exists alter one’s experience in other people both within human beings and of it by trying to be when they are con- more conscious of scious of what they the cosmos. Because modern oneself, one under- are doing and when psychologists and scientists do takes the study of a they are not.”10 not recognize the importance new psychology. It is impossible to of scale, they fail to understand Amongst contempo- overestimate the im- rary psychologists who portance of Gurdjieff’s that a lower level of conscious- theorize about and characterization of the ness cannot understand a high- study consciousness, normal waking state as er level. the nature of the wak- consisting of “long ing state is, typically, intervals of completely unconscious, mechani- of little or no concern. Most psychologists sub- cal working of the machine.” Certainly, there scribe to the assumption that there exist two are numerous Fourth Way pupils who would fundamental states of human consciousness: readily attest to the fact that, by observing sleep and the waking state. Further, while the themselves, they have determined that it is not waking state may be thought of as varying in only entirely possible to think, feel, act, and terms of degrees of alertness, most psycholo- work without being conscious of it, but also to gists simply do not regard any such variations assert that this lack of consciousness is indeed as being significant. By contrast, Gurdjieff’s the principal feature of our normal waking contention—that the waking state is typically a consciousness. And, as Gurdjieff says, once state of “sleep” and that there are moments one begins to understand that people are not when people are more consciousness—is the properly conscious, the extent to which every- basis for a radically different understanding of one “thinks, feels, acts, and works without be- and approach to the study of consciousness. To ing conscious of it” becomes increasingly ap- the extent that he characterizes the normal parent and alarmingly obvious. Nevertheless, waking state of consciousness as consisting of this is not a “fact” which one can or should extensive periods of “completely unconscious, attempt to establish by argument; its truth—or mechanical working of the machine,” Gurd- lack thereof—is entirely dependent upon each jieff is in agreement with the behaviorists re- individual’s efforts to study one’s own waking garding the utility of describing the waking state with an open and receptive mind. With state in terms of conditioning and the mecha- that qualification in mind, it is fair to say that nisms that underlie the laws of behavior. Gurdjieff’s characterization of the waking state However, in contrast to the behaviorists, Gurd- as a state of sleep and his claims about the pos- jieff maintains that consciousness may be stud- sibility of observing the appearance and disap- ied within oneself and that it is possible, by pearance of consciousness within oneself iden- doing so, to not only dramatically change, but

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 57 The Esoteric Quarterly transform, one’s level of awareness and con- in order to become aware of one’s state of sciousness to such an extent that one is not waking sleep and the extent to which every- functioning mechanically. This claim is, of thing which one does is essentially an expres- course, something which not only the behav- sion of one’s conditioning. Having acquired iorists, but most modern psychologists either an understanding of the fundamental principles deny or ignore. operative in the human machine’s functioning, one begins to analyze one’s observations, in “Know Thyself” terms of the teaching, and to acquire self- now thyself. All esoteric teachings are knowledge. K premised on this succinct, profound, and Concurrent with initiating the process of self- enduring aphorism. To know oneself, Gurdjieff observation, the Fourth Way pupil also at- says, is to know that one is not properly con- tempts to remember himself or herself. The scious: that, instead, one functions mechanical- concept of self-remembering is as profound, ly in terms of one’s conditioning and acquired dynamic, and almost as elusive as conscious- habits. Therefore, one must become properly ness itself; one’s understanding of what it conscious through a process of self- means to remember oneself changes as one’s transformation. But work to develop con- knowledge and understanding of oneself be- sciousness begins with studying oneself as one comes increasingly more complex and com- is now and, in Gurdjieff’s teaching, that task prehensive. In its most basic sense, self- involves the study of one’s machine: remembering involves trying to be present ... man must study the structure, the func- such that one is aware that I AM here, now, in tions, and the laws of his organism. In the this moment. Self-remembering means bearing human machine everything is so intercon- witness to oneself: that is, being impartially nected; one thing is so dependent upon an- aware of oneself as one thinks, feels, and acts. other, that it is quite impossible to study Attempting to do so quickly reveals the star- any one function without studying all the tling truth that is extremely difficult to remem- others. In order to know one thing, one ber to remember oneself. But even when one must know everything. To know everything does succeed in remembering to self- in man is possible, but it requires much remember, that state and one’s resolve to re- time and labor, and above all, the applica- main in it soon passes: unconsciously and im- tion of the right method and, what is equal- perceptibly yielding to the waking sleep which ly necessary, right guidance.11 inevitably, like the monster of the deep which consumed Jonah, resumes its silent rule by In order to awaken and develop consciousness swallowing one whole. and being, Gurdjieff said, it is necessary to begin by studying oneself in terms of a system. In attempting to explain why he characterizes In the Fourth Way, self-study begins with the our normal waking state as a state of “waking processes of “self-observation” and “self- sleep,” Gurdjieff asked the pupils in Ouspen- remembering. Pupils begin to observe them- sky’s St. Petersburg group to describe the most selves in order to acquire an understanding important thing that he or she had noticed dur- that, indeed, the majority of their lives consist ing self-observation. There were various inter- of being in a state of “waking sleep.” Further- esting observations offered in reply, but no one more, the process of self-observation is orga- stated what should have been most obvious, as nized and guided by the application of Gurd- Gurdjieff explained: jieff’s teaching: an undertaking which requires Not one of you has noticed the most im- extensive study in learning an entirely new portant thing that I have pointed out to psychological framework and the distinct lan- you... That is to say, not one of you has no- guage and principles of knowledge in which it ticed that you do not remember yourselves. is articulated. You do not feel yourselves; you are not Initial attempts to self-observe do not involve conscious of yourselves. With you, “it ob- analyzing oneself, but simply studying oneself serves” just as “it speaks,” “it thinks,” “it

laughs.” You do not feel: I observe, I no- engaged, while the other part consists of being tice, I see. Everything still “is noticed,” “is aware of oneself being here. seen.”... In order really to observe oneself Viewed from another perspective, the elusive one must first of all remember oneself. Try concept of “self-remembering” may be con- to remember yourselves when you observe strued as “self-forgetting.” It involves “being yourselves and later on tell me the results. present” in such a way that one is removed Only those results will have any value that from and free of the continual stream of are accompanied by self-remembering. thoughts, dreams, images, and concerns by Otherwise you yourselves do not exist in which one is usually carried through the wak- your observations. In which case what are ing hours ... the host of feelings and concerns all your observations worth?12 about oneself and the world in which one is Gurdjieff’s emphasis on recognizing the dis- normally invested ... the plurality of interests tinction between the “I” and “it” within oneself and the parading legion of changing “i”s with comprises a discrimination which is at once so which one is identified ... the habitual physical subtle as to be invisible without repeated ef- postures and processes which unconsciously forts to self-remember, and yet is of such pro- govern the body and determine its states of found significance that it should be regarded as presence ... in sum, all that in which one’s con- providing a critical insight into the proper sciousness and experience of one’s “I” is al- study of consciousness. Moreover, despite the most wholly absorbed and embedded. To the remarkable difficulties encountered when one extent that one can free oneself of attachment first begins to work at remembering oneself, to these usual constituents and configurations the effect of experiencing those instances of of one’s normal self (or, more correctly, self-conscious awareness serves as the key to selves) one forgets one’s usual self. And in that unlocking the most essential secret about the sense, “self-remembering” consists of “self- nature of consciousness: that, typically, one is forgetting.” With time and effort, a radically not properly conscious, but with effort, one different “I” emerges and is realized in the might be. In addition, ongoing efforts to re- novelty and wonder of simply sensing and member oneself begin to provide one with a feeling I am here. In such rare instances, one’s sense of why Gurdjieff contended that people experience of oneself and the world is espe- are incapable of even imagining the profound cially vivid and unforgettable. The illuminat- possibilities that they would realize if they ing and inspiring discovery which the practice were to awaken and become properly con- of self-remembering reveals is that the experi- scious. ence of oneself and the world—in all of its meaning, mystery, and wonder—is dramatical- What did Gurdjieff mean when he asserted that ly transformed through the accumulation of “you do not remember yourselves?” How does those moments in which one awakens, even “self-remembering” relate to “self-observing?” momentarily, and remembers to be here, now. Ouspensky explained that, whereas self- remembering involves attempting to be aware Nevertheless, the simple fact remains: the act of oneself—to sense and feel and be aware that of remembering oneself is much more difficult I am here—self-observation always involves than it would seem to be. Having repeatedly directing one’s attention at a definite function failed to do so—other than for the most fleet- in oneself: such as one’s thoughts, emotions, ing moments—Ouspensky soon concluded that movements or sensations. While self- Gurdjieff was neither exaggerating the extent, observation involves focusing on a part of one- nor the importance of people’s inability to re- self, self-remembering is an attempt to remem- member themselves. In addition, he realized ber the whole by feeling one’s “I.” Thus, self- that the concept of “self-remembering” was the remembering always involves a division of key to understanding Gurdjieff’s other com- attention: such that one part is focused on the ments about consciousness: that one can know content of whatever mental, emotional, or it when one has it, and one can know—when it physical process or activity in which one is comes again—that it has been absent for a long

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 59 The Esoteric Quarterly time. As much as Ouspensky was chagrined by ity of consciousness. We have only the pos- his inability to remember himself, Gurdjieff sibility of consciousness and rare flashes of explained that this was an extremely important it. Therefore we cannot define what con- realization. As he explained, most people sciousness is.14 would angrily dismiss the claim: that they can- This extraordinary passage identifies that not and do not remember themselves. But which is, from an esoteric perspective, the fun- Gurdjieff states that: “If a man really knows damental flaw in modern psychologists’ and that he cannot remember himself, he is already scientists’ understanding of and approach to near to the understanding of his being.”13 the study of consciousness. They have consist- The more that one attempts to remember one- ently and repeatedly failed to recognize that self, the more one experiences the singular ten- consciousness is a property which is always sion that results from that practice: that is, self- changing, and as such, our normal waking state remembering provides a distinct taste of the of consciousness does not constitute a single, extraordinary possibilities of what it would undifferentiated, and unified state. By working mean if this were one’s normal waking state, to become conscious, one begins to recognize while at the same time, the difficulties in main- the variability of consciousness within one’s taining those moments of self-consciousness waking state, but one cannot acquire these ex- are indisputably and alarmingly obvious. In periences of consciousness by simply thinking Sufism, the transition from the state of normal about consciousness. Modern psychologists waking consciousness to the state of self- think and reason and attempt to know con- consciousness is likened to emerging from un- sciousness by studying bits and parts of other derwater and breathing the air; an apt descrip- beings, but those activities involve searching tion of the immediate and undeniably exhila- for consciousness where it does not exist and rating sense of existing in a fundamentally dif- where it cannot be known and understood. You ferent medium that self-remembering inspires. cannot directly observe consciousness in others. You cannot stain it, put it on a slide, and The Light of Consciousness peer at it through a microscope; you cannot n a remarkably succinct and insightful observe it by extrapolating it in analyzing ag- I statement about his pupils’ fundamental gregate statistics; you cannot decipher it by misconception of consciousness, Gurdjieff ex- examining the results of an EEG, an MRI or a plained why consciousness must be studied PET scan of the brain or by using any other systematically within oneself: marvelous scientific instrument. One can only know consciousness by studying it within one- Your principal mistake consists in thinking self and by experiencing it within oneself. As that you always have consciousness, and in Gurdjieff says, scientists and philosophers general, either that consciousness is always have failed so thoroughly in their attempts to present or that it is never present. In reali- understand consciousness because they do not ty, consciousness is a property which is understand what they are trying to define and, continually changing. Now it is present, consequently, “they want to define it where it now it is not present. And there are differ- does not exist.” Furthermore, his comment ent degrees and different levels of con- about the necessity of distinguishing consciousness. Both consciousness and the sciousness from the possibility of conscious- different degrees of consciousness must be ness can only be properly understood by relat- understood in oneself by sensation, by taste. ing that discrimination to the singular dynam- No definitions can help you in this case and ics involved in making concerted, ongoing ef- no definitions are possible so long as you forts to self-observe and to self-remember. do not understand what you have to define. Disciplined attempts to study consciousness And science and philosophy cannot define systematically within oneself provide one with consciousness because they want to define an inchoate understanding of the hidden and it where it does not exist. It is necessary to profoundly mysterious nature of conscious- distinguish consciousness from the possibil- ness, while compromising the first tentative

60 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 but meaningful steps in its acquisition. cally, and alchemically. As consciousness is regarded as manifesting both psychologically In effect, trying to practice self-remembering and cosmologically on different levels, Gurd- represents the introduction of the most reveal- jieff describes humans as multi-dimensional ing and instructive change possible in studying beings existing in a multi-dimensional cosmos consciousness. As such, self-remembering rep- of varying levels of consciousness. resents an elegant, important, and practical psychological experiment which is at once il- Within the singular dynamics of studying one- luminating and transforming. Repeated at- self systematically, Gurdjieff states that the tempts to self-remember document the fact that mysterious process of acquiring consciousness our normal waking state is a waking sleep, begins to suggest how and why consciousness while revealing that consciousness must sys- is to be equated with light. He explains that tematically be studied within oneself. In con- self-observation: trasting this esoteric methodology with that of … throws … a ray of light onto … [one’s] western academic psychology and philosophy, inner processes which have hitherto worked Ouspensky opined that: “Real psychology be- in complete darkness. And under the influ- gins when a man realizes and bears in mind ence of this light the processes themselves that he does not remember himself, and that begin to change. There are a great many nobody remembers, and yet there is a possibil- chemical processes that take place only in ity of self-remembering ... .”15 the absence of light. Exactly in the same While Gurdjieff maintains that the proper way many psychic processes take place on- study of consciousness involves self-study, the ly in the dark. Even a feeble light of con- profound mysteries regarding the nature of sciousness is enough to change completely consciousness remain. Whereas modern psy- the character of the process, while it makes chologists have typically assumed that con- many of them altogether impossible. Our sciousness is reducible to the psychic func- inner psychic processes (our inner alchemy) tions—such as thinking, sensing, feeling, im- have much in common with those chemical agining—and/or the brain’s physiological pro- processes in which light changes the char- cesses, Ouspensky argues that consciousness is acter of the process and they are subject to a substantive property which is entirely inde- analogous laws.17 pendent of the psychic functions: Thus, the process of studying oneself systemat- …consciousness … is a background upon ically at once motivates one to continue to at- which thoughts, feelings and sensations re- tempt to remember oneself and acts as a cata- veal themselves. This background can be lyst for self-transformation. Moreover, Gurd- more or less bright. But as thoughts, feel- jieff explains that self-observation, if properly ings and sensations have their own separate conducted, leads an individual to realize: life, and can be regarded independently of … that it is precisely because he is asleep this background, so can it be regarded and that he lives and works in a small part of studied independently of them.16 himself. It is precisely for this reason that Ouspensky adds that our psychic functions the vast majority of his possibilities remain may be likened to machines that work better in unrealized, the vast majority of his powers light than in darkness. By attempting to ob- are left unused. … He sees every function serve and remember ourselves, we increase the as it now is and as it could or ought to be.18 light of consciousness—the background— To summarize: modern psychologists long ago which enables our psychological functions to rejected any form of self-study as being “un- be more efficient. scientific.” Nevertheless, attempts to self- For Gurdjieff, consciousness is substantive: it observe systematically and to self-remember is something separate from our psychological may be regarded as experimental procedures: functioning. He likens it to light: an equation that which Ken Wilber terms “spiritual empiri- which is to be understood literally, metaphori- cism.” Systematic self-observation readily dis-

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 61 The Esoteric Quarterly pels modern psychologists’ peculiar conviction are five lower centers that are responsible for that consciousness may only legitimately be the normal psychological functions and, there- studied through external observation and that fore, govern the normal waking state. But, in any attempt at self-study will be hopelessly addition, there are two higher centers that con- contaminated by subjective variables. Whereas stitute supernormal faculties and are responsi- psychologists have equated “scientific objec- ble for experiencing higher states of con- tivity” with eliminating themselves from their sciousness and reality. studies, esoteric teachings are based on the The five lower centers are: the intellectual, the premise that objectivity is to be realized emotional, the moving, the instinctual, and the through the transformation of one’s being and sexual center. The intellectual center, which is the acquisition of higher states of conscious- located in the brain, governs all mental func- ness. For Gurdjieff, the study of consciousness tions such as thinking, reasoning, comparing, must involve systematic self-study and self- predicting, and abstracting. The emotional cen- transformation; attempting to study conscious- ter, which is localized in the complexes of ness solely through external observation is ab- nerves of the sympathetic nervous system, is surd. By acquiring the faculties of higher con- responsible for all emotional processes and sciousness and being, “the knower” is trans- registers impressions in terms of appetitive formed, as is the quality of her knowledge. The dimensions such as one’s likes and dislikes, shocking difficulties that one experiences in pleasantness and unpleasantness, etc. The mov- remembering to self-remember and in main- ing center, which is responsible for all learned taining that state, when one does manage to movements, is located in the spinal column. remember oneself, dramatically reveal the hid- The instinctual center governs the body’s in- den complexity of our normal waking con- nate functions, such as the metabolic and sen- sciousness. As such, the idea—that our normal sory process. It is located within the lower waking state is “a waking sleep”—becomes brain structures and the spinal column, as well increasingly plausible and realistic as one ac- as within the body’s organs. The sexual center, cumulates the data gleaned from attempts to which is located in the sexual organs, is re- self-observe and self-remember. Gurdjieff puts sponsible for sexual functioning and procrea- forth the radical idea that consciousness is sub- tion. Although the moving, instinctual, and stantive—that is, it is not simply a term to de- sexual centers are independent minds, they scribe our psychological functions or even the typically work so closely together as to consti- contents of our experience, but rather is some tute the physical organism’s intelligence. For thing. Considerations of how and why con- that reason, Gurdjieff spoke of man, in his sciousness should be regarded as being sub- normal state of consciousness, as “a three- stantive will be elaborated through the exposi- brained being” which functions intellectually, tion of other aspects of Gurdjieff’s teaching. emotionally, and physically. The Centers In addition to the five lower centers, there are urdjieff claims that, in order to be capable two centers of higher consciousness: the higher G of understanding the nature of conscious- emotional and the higher intellectual center. ness and the mind, it is necessary to realize Because of the difficulty of translating the fac- that rather than having one brain or mind, hu- ulties of the higher centers and their operation man beings possess seven distinct “brains” or into the language of the normal centers— “centers” of intelligence.19 Each of these “cen- Ouspensky compares the task to a blind man ters” is an independent mind which has its own attempting to speak of colors—Gurdjieff says way of knowing, type of memory, speed of very little about them and the realities that they operation, and energies. Although the centers apprehend. Higher knowledge exists, Gurd- are said to be distributed throughout the entire jieff says, but it can only be acquired through physical organism, each one has its own locus the conscious functioning of the higher centers. of concentration or center of gravity within the The critical point which Gurdjieff does stress physical body. According to Gurdjieff, there about the higher centers is that there is no need

62 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 to develop them: they already exist within us. active in the intellectual center; whereas when However, because of the imbalance and dys- one is involved in an athletic activity or physi- function that plagues the lower centers, and the cal labor, one would be primarily centered in lack of harmony and co-operation between the moving/instinctual mind. As you sit read- them, we are unable to experience the higher ing these pages, you are most likely to be intel- centers. Thus, Gurdjieff lectually centered—as states that, in order to One can only know con- you focus on processing experience our higher sciousness by studying it and attempting to inter- faculties of conscious- pret the meaning of this ness, we must purify within oneself and by experi- presentation. At the same and refine the function- encing it within oneself. As time, you are, in all like- ing of the lower centers. Gurdjieff says, scientists and lihood, only vaguely By doing so, he says, aware of your body and we may become fully philosophers have failed so your physical state of developed and know thoroughly in their attempts presence as you sit read- ourselves as “seven to understand consciousness ing. Further, unless brained-beings.” And something you have read only by doing so, Gurd- because they do not under- has evoked or prompted jieff claims, is it possi- stand what they are trying to some extremely strong ble to truly acquire ob- define and, consequently, emotional reaction in jective knowledge; the you, you are not likely to level of one’s know- “they want to define it where be particularly aware of ledge, he says, is de- it does not exist.” your emotional state. termined by the level of Thus, the nature of one’s one’s consciousness and being. experience will depend, in part, upon how one is centered. But it will also depend on the de- Fourth Way pupils observe the operation of the gree, the intensity, and the duration of how different centers within themselves and learn consciously the center is operating. When one to discriminate between their proper and im- begins to understand, through self-observation, proper functioning. Gurdjieff maintains that, that this variability of consciousness is also because the centers are susceptible to various applicable to the interaction of the three cen- classes of “wrong work,” they operate mechan- ters—that is, one might be more or less con- ically at a very low level of consciousness. scious in one, two, or three centers—the com- Moreover, he maintains that systematic self- plexity of the possibilities for experiencing observation reveals that each of the centers can consciousness become apparent. In addition, function with varying degrees of consciousness the importance of attempting to bring the cen- for varying durations of time. While self- ters into balance and harmony in order to in- observation and attempts to self-remember crease consciousness begins to become a reali- certainly reveal the potential richness of hu- ty. Gurdjieff explains: man consciousness, the more immediate and disconcerting realization is the discovery that it … we must understand that every normal is extremely difficult to be conscious in even psychic function is a means or instrument one center at any time and that, typically, each of knowledge. With the help of the mind of the centers functions quite automatically we see one aspect of things and events, and mechanically. with the help of emotions another aspect, with the help of sensations a third aspect. Self-observation also reveals that one may also The most complete knowledge of a given be “centered” in different ways: that is, one subject possible for us can be obtained if center is often dominant, depending upon the we examine it simultaneously with our nature of one’s activity. Thus, when a task re- mind, feelings, and sensations. Every man quiring abstraction or some form of mental who is striving after right knowledge must calculation is involved, one would be primarily aim at the possibility of attaining such per-

ception.20 [emphasis added] learn not to identify man must first of all not be identified with himself, must not call If we think of consciousness as light, it be- himself ‘I’ always and on all occasions. He comes all too clear that our centers operate, must remember that there are two in him, most of the time, in darkness or, at best, in that there is himself, that is ‘I’ in him, and terms of a very low level of illumination. The there is another with whom he must strug- task of attempting to become more conscious gle and whom he must conquer if he wishes in each of the centers and to bring them into at any time to attain anything. So long as harmony depends, in the Fourth Way, on learn- man identifies or can be identified, he is the ing to overcome the different types of “wrong slave of everything that can happen to work” which keep each of these independent him.21 minds operating at the most unconscious, mechanical level. Gurdjieff’s identification of the When one begins to recognize identification in various classes of wrong work that impede oneself and in others, it becomes apparent why each of the respective centers from working one must attempt not to identify and, especial- consciously represents a critical focus of pu- ly, not to identify with oneself. Observing how pils’ efforts to study themselves. In addition to people are identified when they argue or when the specific categories of wrong work—which they are driven by some desire or strong emo- will be examined in detail in an ensuing Fourth tion, it becomes clear that they become their Way article—Gurdjieff also states that wrong words and desires, as Gurdjieff says, and that work consists of the various centers attempting “of themselves nothing remains.”22 In that state to do another center’s work. of emotional presence, it is impossible to remember oneself. Moreover, because people The emotional center’s wrong work consists of identify most readily with that which interests “identification,” “self-love,” “vanity,” and them, the danger of identifying with one’s “negative emotions.” However, it is identifica- teacher and teaching is particularly fraught tion which is perhaps the most subtle and yet with peril for even the most earnest spiritual influential form of wrong work. Gurdjieff seeker. It was that danger which led Gurdjieff states that people live constantly in an identi- to both act in ways that frequently caused his fied state: that is one’s emotional presence al- pupils to examine their relationship with him ways consists of an attachment to or invest- and to change the presentation of his teaching ment in or fusion with whatever one is feeling in order to preclude his pupils from becoming or thinking. This unconscious, automatic in- identified with any particular formulation of it. vestment of oneself in everything which cap- tures one’s interest and/or attention is particu- Within modern psychology, identifying “the larly insidious because it keeps one’s various parts of our being” involves, for the most part, “i”s alive and creates the illusion of unity. Be- dualistic conceptualizations such as the mind cause identification comprises the emotional and the body, the brain and the body or the medium in which and through which we exist, functional equivalent of the mind and behav- it is practically as invisible as the air we ior.23 Gurdjieff’s model of humans as beings breathe. Therefore, it is very difficult to imag- possessing seven brains is nonsense from the ine why one would want to dis-identify and perspective of modern science and psychology. how one would do so, if so inclined. However, However, when it is approached with an open as Gurdjieff explains, the state of self- mind and a willingness to accumulate data conscious awareness, which one seeks to nour- through the process of self-study, it poses an ish and develop through the process of self- extremely provocative challenge to conven- remembering, demands that one not identify: tional contemporary knowledge and, at the very least, serves as a useful heuristic by which Identifying is the chief obstacle to self- many anomalies and enigmas associated with remembering. A man who identifies with “the mind and the body” may be reconsidered. anything is unable to remember himself. In When considering humans as “three-brained order to remember oneself it is necessary beings,” the complexity of the normal waking first of all not to identify. But in order to

64 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 state begins to become apparent. By regarding they interpenetrate the matter of the lower consciousness as separate from the psycholog- worlds, while informing and sustaining them. ical functions and positing that it may manifest Everything in the Universe is material, Gurd- with varying degrees of intensity, frequency, jieff claims. Therefore, his teaching is, in a and duration, it becomes apparent that describ- sense, more materialistic than contemporary ing the quality of the waking state must be un- philosophical materialism. However, that as- dertaken in reference to a matrix of variables— sessment must be qualified by the explanation most of which modern psychologists never that Gurdjieff attributes cosmic and psychic acknowledge, let alone examine. Moreover, properties to matter quite unlike anything Gurdjieff’s claims regarding the significance which modern science recognizes. In addition, of “wrong work,” as being pathological factors he distinguishes between matter and materiali- that limit the consciousness with which each ty: that is, while matter is everywhere the center functions, identifies sources of psycho- same, there exist different gradients of materi- logical dysfunction that, for the most part, are ality depending upon the qualities and proper- not acknowledged within modern psychology. ties of energy being manifested. And because A Microcosm of the Gurdjieff depicts everything in Creation as existing in a state of vibration, he says that the Macrocosm level of consciousness of anything is given by urdjieff’s cosmological ideas are so com- the density of its materiality and the frequency G plex and demand such extensive study of its vibrations. Hence, consciousness varies and contemplation that the ensuing presenta- directly with the frequency of vibration and tion is admittedly superficial. Nevertheless, by inversely with the density of materiality: that touching on some key elements of his cosmol- is, a higher level of consciousness is associated ogy, the author’s aim is to elucidate the with a more refined level of materiality and framework in which the critical concept of “a higher frequency of vibration. Gurdjieff asserts substantive consciousness” may be placed and, that the Universe—rather than being the mani- in doing so, provide the basis to understand festation of the dualities of matter and energy, why Gurdjieff contended that self-study in- within time and space—is the product of the volved both psychology and cosmology and, interaction of triads of forces and influences. consequently, his psychological teachings in- Therefore, he states that the complementarity formed his cosmology, and vice-versa. of matter and energy must be extended to include the third property of consciousness. For According to Gurdjieff, modern science’s con- Gurdjieff, then, matter possesses conscious- ceptualization of a Universe composed of non- ness and consciousness is material. sentient matter, which is governed by the operation of blind and purposeless “natural” laws, Gurdjieff asserts that there exist two “funda- is entirely erroneous. Instead, he claims that mental cosmic laws”—the Law of Three and we live in an animate, intelligent, multi- the Law of Seven—which are responsible for dimensional Universe: one in which a hierar- the manifestation of everything in Creation. chy of discrete world orders—each of which is The Law of Three24 states that everything— distinguished by distinct gradations of materi- every phenomenon, on every level of scale, in ality and consciousness—descends or devolves every world—is the result of the interaction of from the Absolute or the supreme source of all three forces. Gurdjieff refers to them as “ac- Creation. Through this involutionary process, a tive,” “passive,” and “neutralizing” force or, succession of seven worlds or planes is creat- alternatively, “Holy Affirming,” “Holy Deny- ed; each of which consists of progressively ing,” and “Holy Reconciling.” However, he denser levels of materiality and lower levels of qualifies these terms by explaining that these consciousness, and transmits energy and intel- names apply only in describing their properties ligence to the level below it. Moreover, be- at a particular point of interaction. In reality, cause the materiality of the higher worlds is each force is equally active. The essential point more rarefied than the worlds below them, to be realized is that these forces are omnipres-

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 65 The Esoteric Quarterly ent and underlie all manifestations in all progressions, shocks provide the impetus for worlds. And, while the first two forces are rec- the process to bridge the mi-fa and si-do inter- ognizable in the state of normal waking con- vals.) If the shocks are not provided, the octave sciousness and, thus, give us the dualities that ceases to develop and remains incomplete, or it pervade modern science, the third force is not is deflected and begins to proceed in a direc- readily observed or understood. In some cases, tion quite unlike that of its original course. the third force consists of the medium in which According to Gurdjieff, everything in the Uni- the first two forces are interacting; in others, it verse is the manifestation of octave processes exists at the point of their application. Howev- in various states of progression: either ascend- er, more commonly, Gurdjieff states that, alt- ing (that is, increasing in refinement and con- hough the third force is a property of objective sciousness) or descending (increasing in densi- reality, it is not observable at all in the normal ty and mechanicalness). The Earth, he says, is subjective state of consciousness. For this rea- created and sustained as part of a descending son, he describes humans, in the state of wak- octave, which he calls The Ray of Creation. ing sleep, as being “third force blind.” From the Absolute—the supreme source, The Law of Seven25describes the lawful pro- prime mover, or God—a hierarchy of world gression of seven notes or seven “steps” in the orders emanates. As the octave descends, each fulfillment or realization of any process on any note or step is associated with a successive level of scale. The law is also known as the world order or plane, each of which constitutes Law of the Octave because the completion of a distinct level of increasingly dense materiali- any pattern results in its realization on a differ- ty and lower consciousness, which is governed ent level which comprises the eighth note. The by an increasing number of categories of laws. major musical scale, which Gurdjieff said an- (Our Ray of Creation involves but one of per- cient esoteric sources devised as a vehicle to haps an infinite number of world orders ema- preserve the Law of Seven, provides the names nating from the supreme source.) The names of of the seven notes or steps—do, re, mi, fa, sol, the planes that comprise the Ray of Creation la, si—and the eighth note, do, which exists on are: do (the Absolute); si (All Worlds); la (All a different level of scale. The Law of Seven Suns); sol (our Sun); fa (All Planets); mi (The embodies the principle of the discontinuity of Earth); re (The Moon); and do (The Absolute). vibrations: that is, the rate of development be- In this model, the Absolute is governed by one tween the notes, in the progression of any oc- law, All Worlds are under the rule of a trinity tave, is not uniform but, rather, consists of ac- of forces, and each successive world is subject celerations and decelerations. This principle to an increasing number of categories or clas- contradicts the assumption, within modern sci- ses of laws. The Earth is said to be governed ence, of the continuity of vibrations: whereby by forty-eight classes of laws; while the moon, vibrations, in any process, are assumed to be which is the last note or step from the bottom, continuous as long as the original impulse, is under the influence of ninety-six classes of with which they originate, is stronger than the laws. resistance imposed by the medium in which In addition to this involutionary current, by they are progressing. 26 Thus, the Law of Seven which worlds are created from Above (or the stipulates that an octave will not develop or state of perfect unity), there also exists an evo- unfold in a continuous, unobstructed fashion. lutionary current. At lower levels of Creation, Instead, there are accelerations and decelera- matter-energies can begin, by chance or a tions in the process of an octave’s fulfillment. combination of favourable circumstances, to Furthermore, there are two points or “inter- evolve and become more refined, intelligent, vals” in the octave—between mi-fa and si- and unified. However, such evolutionary trans- do—in which an external force or “shock” is formations can only proceed so far without necessary in order to further the process. what Gurdjieff calls “Help from Above.” Ac- (Within Fourth Way nomenclature, a “shock” cording to J.G. Bennett, Gurdjieff taught that a identifies any stimulus which serves to awaken “high level of energy is generated at an uncon- one, even momentarily. With respect to octave

66 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 ditioned level of being, as a corrective to the whose inherent powers are developed. An process of entropy, and this energy makes evo- undeveloped man, a man who has not com- lution possible.”27 However, in terms of indi- pleted the course of his evolution, cannot be vidual human beings, Gurdjieff emphasized taken as a complete picture or plan of the that evolution is restricted to the evolution of universe—he is an unfinished world.”29 consciousness, adding that consciousness can- Although the Fourth Way describes the exist- not evolve mechanically, but only as a conse- ence of higher being-bodies—the astral, men- quence of willful effort. And because of the tal, and causal—Gurdjieff asserted that there is power of the forces opposing that transfor- nothing permanent about these subtle bodies mation of consciousness, he told Ouspensky and that they are entirely unnecessary for one that, in a sense, this work—the awakening of who lives in a state of waking sleep. Neverthe- human consciousness—is “against nature and less, he maintained that the acquisition of against God.” higher states of consciousness depended upon Gurdjieff claims that human beings should be the accumulation of the more refined energies considered to be miniature Universes or, more that compose the subtle bodies. By “coating” correctly, unfinished worlds. Because the the subtle bodies through the process of awak- higher dimensions are composed of more re- ening and acquiring consciousness, it is possi- fined matter and penetrate the lower, coarser ble to realize the realities of the more subtle worlds, Gurdjieff explained that it is possible planes than the material world which we ap- to know the Universe by knowing oneself. In a prehend in our normal waking sleep. Thus, by statement which has profound implications for being in the astral body, one exists at the level comprehending the integral relation between of the Ray of Creation above that of the Earth psychology and cosmology, he claimed that: in the planetary world. In the same way, the crystallization of the mental body involves the All the matter of the world that surrounds materiality of the level of the sun, and that of us, the food that we eat, the water that we the causal body is composed of the same sub- drink, the air that we breathe, the stones stances of the solar system or All Suns. To that our houses are built of, our own bod- possess these higher being-bodies would be to ies—everything is permeated by all the complete oneself, to have developed all of matters that exist in the universe. There is one’s inherent powers, and to know oneself as no need to study or investigate the sun in a miniature Universe or “a microcosm of the order to discover the matter of the solar macrocosm.” In essence, Gurdjieff said, one world: this matter exists in ourselves and is must transform the materiality of one’s being the result of the division of our atoms. In in order to be and to matter at these higher lev- the same way we have in us the matter of els of consciousness and reality. all other worlds. Man is, in the full sense of the term, a “miniature universe”; in him are Thus, the esoteric maxim—that “man is a mi- all the matters of which the universe con- crocosm of the macrocosm”—means that, sists; the same forces, the same laws that within each human being, there exists a “cos- govern the life of the universe, operate in mos” or “inner Universe,” which mirrors the him; therefore in studying man we can essential principles and structure of the exter- study the whole world, just as in studying nal cosmos. The key to understanding the the world we can study man.”28 meaning of this seemingly absurd claim depends upon the study and direct realization of To his extraordinary claims that man is a “min- the hidden dimensions of our inner being. That iature universe” and that, therefore, it was pos- aim is consistent with the original meaning of sible to study the world in man and vice versa, the term “esotericism”: that is, “further in,” Gurdjieff added one essential qualification: from the Greek, esotero. By developing higher … a complete parallel between man and the states of consciousness and being, an individu- world can only be drawn if we take “man” al’s apprehension and understanding of the in the full sense of the word, that is, one inner cosmos progresses “further in” and, by

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 67 The Esoteric Quarterly deepening his self-knowledge knows himself being a matter of intentional and willful effort, as a multidimensional being. Furthermore, eso- as Gurdjieff does, virtually all and everything teric teachings assert that, in doing so, he will is cast in an entirely new light. know his higher spiritual nature and essential In an ensuing article, the Fourth Way teaching Self, by existing in and apprehending the high- will be elaborated by examining several addi- er dimensions of Creation. To be conscious of tional critical psychological concepts. A more oneself in higher states is to “know oneself” by detailed examination of the fundamental cos- penetrating the illusions of normal waking mic laws will also be undertaken in order to consciousness, to apprehend that one is a “mi- explicate the integral relationship between crocosm of the macrocosm,” and to be at one Gurdjieff’s cosmology and psychology. with the Universe.

Concluding Remarks learly, the psychology of consciousness 1 Befitting a man of mystery, the year of Gurd- C which Gurdjieff proffers is radically dif- jieff’s birth is uncertain and his biographers ferent from that which modern science puts have adduced evidence for various dates rang- forth. Rather than viewing consciousness as ing from 1866 to 1877. In a recent work, Paul being the end product of the brain’s neurologi- Beekman Taylor examines the evidence for cal processes and, thus, as being nothing but a the various dates in great detail. He concludes term to describe our psychological functions, that: “… I find it difficult to ignore Gurdjieff’s Gurdjieff regards it as a substantive, universal consistent indication of 1866 as his birth year.” [Gurdjieff: A New Life, (London: Eu- property which manifests differentially reka Editions, 2008), 17-18]. On the other through both a hierarchy of world orders and hand, in Struggle of the Magicians: Exploring through a human being’s seven brains. In the Teacher-Student Relationship, (Fairfax, keeping with the collapse of the Great Nest of CA: Arete Communications, 1996), William Being into the flatland of materialism, modern Patrick Patterson agrees with J.G. Bennett’s scientists do not recognize the involutionary conclusion (in Gurdjieff: Making a New current, nor do they recognize the existence of World, [London: Turnstone Books, 1973]) that Gurdjieff was born in 1872. higher dimensions of consciousness and being. 2 And although they do recognize the evolution- Nevertheless, it is the author’s opinion that ad- ary current—they do so only insofar as it is dressing questions regarding Gurdjieff’s status as a master is of the utmost importance in understood as a blind process which manifests considering and elucidating fundamental ques- through changes in the material realm. Conse- tions regarding the origins and nature of hu- quently, contemporary science is limited to man consciousness. In the next article in this evolutionary explanations in which complexity series, the issue of the relationship between must be accounted for as emerging from lower, knowledge and being will be examined in more elementary and mechanical levels of terms of the Fourth Way. That discussion will matter. Of course, this process is represented involve an assessment of Gurdjieff’s status as as being entirely random and purposeless. In ‘a master’; an issue which has significant im- that limited perspective, there is no considera- plications when contrasting the esoteric and tion of the existence of higher dimensions as modern scientific perspectives on the nature of human consciousness. causal sources which inform and illuminate 3 There are numerous informative and insightful manifestations in the material realm through books written by those who knew and studied involutionary processes. By contrast, within directly with Gurdjieff. P.D. Ouspensky’s the Fourth Way and all esoteric teachings, rec- seminal work, In Search of the Miraculous, ognizing the existence of an involutionary cur- consists of his brilliant reporting of various rent and trying to understand its dynamics con- talks that Gurdjieff gave to his Russian pupils stitutes the beginning of conceptualizing and from 1915 to 1917, as well as his own insight- apprehending radically different psychological ful commentaries on the teaching and his re- and cosmological systems. Moreover, by con- counting of his intriguing relationship with ceptualizing the evolution of consciousness as Gurdjieff. Views from The Real World: Early Talks of Gurdjieff as Recollected by his Pupils

(New York: E.P. Dutton & Co. Inc., 1973) is 15 P.D. Ouspensky, The Fourth Way (New York: an outstanding collection of lectures that Vintage Books, 1971), 120. Gurdjieff gave, from 1918 to 1924, in various 16 P.D. Ouspensky, Tertium Organum: A Key to locations. A more recent collection, drawn the Enigmas of the World (New York: Vintage from the papers of Janet Flanner and Solita Books, 1970), xiv. Although Ouspensky had Solano—which was translated from French to argued this position regarding consciousness English by Joseph Azize — is Transcripts of prior to meeting Gurdjieff, it is entirely con- Gurdjieff’s Meetings 1941-1946, (London: gruent with Gurdjieff’s conceptualization of Book Studio, 2009). consciousness. 17 There are three major biographies, in English, In Search Of the Miraculous, 146. 18 Ibid., 145. of Gurdjieff: James Webb, The Harmonious 19 Circle: An exploration of the lives and work of While the parallels between Gurdjieff’s con- G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky and others, cept of the seven centers and the chakras are (London: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1980); readily apparent, it is neither useful nor ap- James Moore, Gurdjieff: The Anatomy of a propriate to assume that the centers are simply Myth, (Rockport, MA: Element Inc., 1991); Gurdjieff’s term for the chakras. As the dis- and the aforementioned G.I. Gurdjieff: A New cussion of the centers and their wrong work is Life by Paul Beekman Taylor. elaborated in this article and a subsequent submission devoted to the Fourth Way, it Writings by Gurdjieff’s pupils include: Mar- should become clear that the psychological, garet Anderson, The Unknowable Gurdjieff, phenomenological, and epistemological em- (New York: Samuel Weiser Inc., 1970); J.G. phasis in Gurdjieff’s discussion of the centers Bennett, Gurdjieff: Making A New World is quite distinct from more traditional descrip- (London: Turnstone Books, 1973) and Wit- tions and explications of the chakras and their ness: The Autobiography of John Bennett, functions. (London: Turnstone Books, 1975); Thomas 20 In Search of the Miraculous, 107-108. and Olga de Hartmann, Our Life With Mr. 21 Ibid., 151. Gurdjieff [Definitive Edition] (Sandpoint, ID: 22 Ibid., 151. Morning Light Press, 2011); C.S. Nott, Teach- 23 I am indebted to my friend and colleague, ings Of Gurdjieff, (New York: Samuel Weiser Christopher Holmes, for his insightful analy- Inc., 1961) and Journey Through This World: sis of the extent to which modern psychology Meetings with Gurdjieff Orage and Ouspen- is pervaded by dualistic conceptions. For an sky, (New York: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1969); excellent discussion of “The Dualities of Fritz Peters, Boyhood with Gurdjieff (New Formatory Mind and Formatory Psychology,” York: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1961) and Gurd- see Holmes’ Psychological Illusions: Explora- jieff Remembered, (New York: Samuel tions of the G.I. Gurdjieff Fourth Way Teach- Weiser, Inc., 1974); Kenneth Walker, Venture ing, (Kemptville, ON: Zeropoint Point Publi- With Ideas, (Oxford: The Alden Press, 1951). cations, 2010), 70-73. Amongst the many 4 The issue of Gurdjieff’s “mission” will be dis- Fourth Way books, Psychological Illusions is cussed in the next article in this series—as it is an outstanding work; providing perhaps the integrally related to the questions regarding most comprehensive discussion of both Gurd- the nature of his being and the level of his jieff’s psychological and cosmological ideas knowledge. since Ouspensky’s In Search of the Miracu- 5 Struggle of the Magicians: Exploring the lous. Teacher-Student Relationship, xxii-xxiii. 24 In his magnum opus, Beelzebub’s Tales to His 6 In Search of the Miraculous, 286. Grandson, Gurdjieff refers to the Law of 7 Ibid., 21. Three as “the sacred law of Triamazikamno.” 8 Ibid., 59. [G.I. Gurdjieff, All and Everything: Beelze- 9 Ibid., 116. bub’s Tales to His Grandson (New York: E.P. 10 Ibid., 116-117. Dutton & Co. Inc., 1964)]. 11 Ibid., 104-105. 25 In Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson, Gurd- 12 Ibid., 117-118. jieff calls the Law of Seven: “the Sacred Hep- 13 Ibid., 118. taparaparshinokh.” 14 Ibid., 117. 26 Basarab Nicolescu, a Romanian physicist and writer, notes that Gurdjieff’s presentation of

the idea of the ‘discontinuity of vibrations’ to “Gurdjieff’s Philosophy of Nature,” see Ni- his Russian pupils, in 1915, contains allusions colescu’s contribution to Jacob Needleman to the concurrent revolutionary breakthroughs and George Baker, editors, Gurdjieff: Essays in physics that were creating quantum me- and Reflections on the Man and His Teaching, chanics and, thus, the abandonment of the idea (New York: The Continuum Publishing Com- of ‘the continuity of vibrations.’ Clearly, the pany, 1996), 37-69. Fourth Way teaching contained the idea of the 27 Gurdjieff: Making a New World, 191. quantum nature of reality long before modern 28 In Search of the Miraculous, 88. Physicists discovered it and began to formal- 29 Ibid., 89. ize its mathematical properties. For a fascinating and deeply insightful appreciation of

Great Esotericists of the Past

Arthur Edward Waite (1857–1942)

From his teens onward, Waite wrote poetry and romantic fiction. He published Ode to As- tronomy (1877) when he was twenty and went on to publish other works in minor literary journals. In his late twenties, Waite married Ada Lakeman, and they had a daughter Sybil. Waite and his close contemporary, Theoso- phist Charles Leadbeater, both suffered from deficiencies in formal education that denied them recognition by the academic community. But those deficiences never impeded their thirst for knowledge and dedication to their studies. Waite spent many hours in the reading room of the British Museum. And it was there that he met Samuel Liddell “Macgregor” Mathers who, along with William Robert

Woodman and William Wynn Westcott, rthur Edward Waite may best be remem- founded the Hermetic Order of the Golden A bered for the Tarot deck that bears his Dawn in 1887. name. Yet that was only one of numerous ac- Waite and Ada were initiated into the Neo- complishments, and he must be counted among phyte grade of the Golden Dawn in 1891; she the foremost contributors to esoteric philoso- chose the initiatory name “Lucasta” and from phy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth then on was generally known by that name. centuries. The following year Waite advanced to the Waite was born in Brooklyn, New York. But grade of Philosophus. But he found himself before he was one year old, his father Charles increasingly at odds with Mathers over the rel- F. Waite died, and his mother returned to her ative priorities given to mysticism and occult- native England. There she gave birth to a sec- ism. ond child, Frederika. Because the two children Waite favored a mystical path, whereas had been conceived out of wedlock her well- Mathers and most others in the Golden Dawn to-do parents abandoned her, and Arthur and favored magical ritual. Waite formally re- Frederika grew up in poverty. signed from the order but continued to partici- Waite was raised a Roman Catholic and at- pate in its activities and was even admitted to tended St Charles College, a Catholic high the inner order of the Red Rose and Gold school in Bayswater, London. He left school, Cross. By the turn of the twentieth century, the probably at age sixteen, to work as a clerk. Golden Dawn was fragmenting into a number Frederika’s untimely death, a year later, pre- of competing—often warring—groups. Indi- cipitated a spiritual crisis in which Waite viduals allied themselves with one group or turned away from institutional religion to seek another, attracting enemies in the process. comfort in spiritualism. But his reverence for Waite’s archenemy was Aleister Crowley. religious ritual continued and would influence In 1901 Waite became a Freemason and was his later esoteric work. initiated into the Runymede Lodge at

Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire. Nine years later The Supreme Love is . . . the continuous af- he became master of the lodge. Although his fection which makes the life our soul, interest in Freemasonry waned in later years he wherein innumerable desires originate in remained a loyal member until his death. One unbroken succession, with words analogous of his books identifies him as “Past Senior to those desires. It is like the azure expanse Grand Warden of Iowa, Past Provincial Deputy of heaven, the abode of an incalculable Grand Director of Ceremonies (Bucks.), Past multitude of shining stars, seeming to Great Captain of the Guard, Past Grand His- spring first as a luminous vegetation from a tographer, etc., etc.” Waite had associations fruitful and translucent earth. We must con- with other Masonic groups, including the So- fess then that this love which has hastened cietas Rosicruciana in Anglia, which he joined to the help of man is the true mother, of in 1902. The Societas, an esoteric Christian which natural maternity is the emblem. [p. order that espoused Rosicrucian principles, 237] was formed by Robert Little in 1865. In 1909 Waite published the English transla- Waite’s first major esoteric work was The tion of Die Wolke über dem Heiligtum (“The Mysteries of Magic, a Digest of the Writings of Cloud upon the Sanctuary”), by the German Eliphas Lévi, published in 1886. His opinion of mystic and philosopher Karl von Eckartshau- the author was mixed. He declared: “I do not sen (1752–1803). In his introduction Waite think that Lévi ever made an independent commented on Eckartshausen’s quest for the statement upon any historical fact in which the “Invisible Celestial Church,” a Christian eso- least confidence could be reposed.” Yet he teric tradition that preserved the ancient mys- applauded Lévi’s “peculiar genius of interpre- teries: tation.” The knowledge of these mysteries has been In the mid-1890s Waite edited a short-lived always preserved by an advanced school, il- occult magazine The Unknown World. Shortly luminated inwardly by the Savior, and con- thereafter, he sought to join the Martinist Or- tinued from the beginning of things to the der established by the French occultist Gerard present time. This community is the Invisi- Encausse, who wrote under the pseudonym ble Celestial Church, founded immediately “Papus.” The influential movement of Mar- after the Fall, and receiving a first-hand tinism derived from the work of Portuguese revelation for the raising of humanity. But nobleman and Freemason Martinez de the weakness of men as they multiplied ne- Pasquales (1727–1774). Whether Waite was cessitated an external society, namely, the admitted to the order is unclear, since he was Outward Church, which, in the course of not yet a Freemason, and in any event, he soon time, became separated from the Inner distanced himself from Papus. Church, also through human weakness. The external church was originally consecrated Waite developed an interest in the Christian in Abraham, but received its highest perfec- esotericism of Martinez’ student Louis Claude tion in the mystery of Jesus Christ. [p. x] de Saint-Martin (17431803). He published The Life of Louis Claude de Saint-Martin: The Work on the Tarot deck began in about 1907. Unknown Philosopher in 1901. “Unknown Decks prior to that time typically offered deco- Philosopher” was Saint-Martin’s principal nom rated Major Arcana and court cards, sometimes de plume. An important aspect of Saint- of high artistic value, and replete with esoteric Martin’s teachings was the notion of a Divine symbolism. But the “pip” cards of the Minor Repairer, reminiscent of the tikkun olam of the Arcana just showed the requisite number of Safed Kabbalists. Saint-Martin’s Repairer, wands, swords, cups or pentacles. Waite want- which emerges from the Heart of God, has ed to provide symbolic illustrations for the both a masculine and a feminine expression. whole deck. Under his direction, Pamela (“Pix- The masculine expression is the Word of the ie”) Coleman Smith spent two years painting Fourth Gospel, while the feminine expression all seventy-eight cards. Smith, an actress as is Love. Waite described the latter thus: well as an artist, had joined one of Waite’s

72 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 esoteric groups as early as 1901, taking the nial magic, the Holy Grail, Freemasonry, and name Quod Tibi id Aliis (“To Yourself as to many other subjects. Best known are The Book Others”). In addition to Waite’s direction, she of Ceremonial Magic (1911), A New Encyclo- may also have received guidance from William pedia of Freemasonry (1921), The Brother- Butler Yeats and Florence Farr, both of whom hood of the Rosy Cross (1924), and The Holy were heavily involved in the Golden Dawn. At Kabbalah (1929). the end of the project, Smith reportedly re- The two-volume A New Encyclopedia of marked: “I just finished a big job for very little Freemasonry covered, as would be expected, a cash.” broad range of topics. One of them was co- Waite published the new Tarot deck in 1909. Masonry, which caused—and still causes— The next year he provided an accompanying consternation in Masonic circles. Waite identi- manual, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot. It was fied Mlle. Maria Desraimes as the first female an instant success and remains the most popu- Mason. She was initiated in France in 1881, lar Tarot deck for divination, meditation and whereupon her lodge was immediately sus- study. Sadly, Smith’s contribution was forgot- pended. Georges Martin, a 33rd degree Mason, ten almost at once, and before long the pub- subsequently emerged as a champion of wom- lisher, William Rider & Son, was referring to it en’s rights and joined with Desraimes to pro- as the Rider-Waite deck, or simply as the mote the cause. The result was the formation “Rider deck.” of several lodges in which women played significant roles. Waite concluded his brief study During World War I Waite established the Fel- of co-Masonry with a list of principles, pre- lowship of the Rosy Cross (FRC)—certainly sumably applying to the FRC, which included: not the first organization to bear that name. “(6) the Order is open to all free men and Waite’s FRC was a Christian co-masonic or- women who are of good report and irreproach- der: that is, it admitted women and men on able life, ‘without distinction of race or reli- equal terms. The fellowship offered a series of gion.’” Interestingly, he criticized the branch grades representing symbolical ascent of the of co-Masonry in which Theosophists Annie Kabbalistic Tree of Life. The form of its rituals Besant and Charles Leadbeater were involved! and offices was drawn from both Golden Dawn and Masonic precedents. The first meet- Waite’s study of the Kabbalah addressed its ing was held in July 1915. Waite’s wife Ada/ Judaic roots as well as its Christian adapta- Lucasta died in 1924, whereupon he married tions. In the preface to his 1929 book he made Mary Broadbent Schofield, whose apartment the following disclosure: had served as a temple for the FRC. I have been led to consider the Kabbalah, Attempts to establish an American lodge of the not only as a mystic in the accepted sense, FRC in the late 1920s came to nothing. But in but from the mystical standpoint, and to re- the process Waite was awarded the honorary cur with a certain frequency to the belief in degree of Doctor of Literature from Atlantic a Secret Doctrine of Religion. . . . [The University, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Waite book] is delivered to the keeping of that fondly believed that he had finally received scattered and unincorporated brotherhood academic recognition for his work. But he which is of my kindred in the spirit, as a failed to grasp that Atlantic University, associ- memorial of its understanding according to ated with Edgar Cayce’s Association for Re- the light of an individual Christian mystic search and Enlightenment, did not enjoy aca- and not that of Israel. demic accreditation. Moreover, it operated for Notwithstanding his modesty, Waite made a a mere two years before succumbing to the noble attempt to understand the Judaic Kabba- Great Depression in 1932; it did not reopen lah, and we should recall that few books had until 1985. been written on the subject since the Safed era. Waite was a prolific author, writing about the The Kabbalah was not a popular subject in Kabbalah, alchemy, Rosicrucianism, ceremo- Jewish circles at that time. The Kabbalistic

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 73 The Esoteric Quarterly revival spearheaded by Gershom Scholem was age of eighty-four, and was buried in the parish many decades away. churchyard. History has not always been kind to Waite. In Bibliography his novel Moonchild, Aleister Crowley used Waite as the inspiration for his evil character Arthur E. Waite, The Life of Louis Claude de Arthwaite. Kenneth Rexroth, who wrote the Saint-Martin: The Unknown Philosopher, introduction to the seventh printing of The Ho- 1901. http://archive.org/stream/lifeoflouisc- ly Kabbalah, described Waite as “an odd fish laud00wait#page/n5/mode/2up. (accessed out of an odder barrel . . . cultish and eccen- March 19, 2013). tric,” adding that he “wrote the most dreadful ______Introduction to Karl Eckartshau- prose conceivable.” Perhaps Waite’s pedantic sen’s The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary, 1909. writing style was an attempt to compensate for http://www.sacredtexts.com/eso/cuts/cuts02.ht his lack of higher education. We should also m. (accessed March 19, 2013). note, however, that such a style was a popular ______The Pictorial Key to the Tarot pretension in late Victorian and Edwardian (reprint), Stamford, CT: U.S. Games Systems, times. Waite never attained the academic status 1910/2000. to which he aspired and, upon his death, was ______A New Encyclopedia of Freema- accorded only a brief, three-paragraph obituary sonry, New York: University Books, 1921. in The Freemasons' Chronicle. ______The Holy Kabbalah, Secaucus, On the other hand biographer R.A. Gilbert de- NJ: Citadel Press, 1929. clared that Waite “was the first to attempt a R. A. Gilbert, “The Masonic Career of A.E. systematic study of the history of western oc- Waite.” Online: cultism.” American Freemason J. Ray Shute http://www.mastermason.com/luxocculta/waite lauded him as “one of the truly great Christian .htm. (accessed March 19, 2013). mystics.” We remember Arthur Waite as a man who overcame the privations of his youth Mary K. Greer, Women of the Golden Dawn, to help bring western esotericism out of the Rochester, VT: Park Street Press, 1995, espe- shadows of secrecy and from the excesses of cially 405-409. magical ritual—of which Crowley was the “The Golden Dawn biographies: Arthur Ed- worst exemplar. Waite left a legacy of scholar- ward Waite.” Online: ly works whose continued availability in print http://www.goldendawnpedia.com/HistoryPag testifies to their lasting value. es/Bios/AEWaite.htm. (accessed March 18, 2013). Arthur Edward Waite spent his last years at Bishopsbourne, Kent. He died in 1942, at the Contributed by John F. Nash

Festival of Easter 2013 The Full Moon in Aries

John F. Nash

n Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at 5:28 Following the Agony in the Garden, in which O a.m., Eastern Daylight Time, the moon he submitted his will to that of the Father, Je- will be at 6° Libra: precisely opposite the Sun, sus was arrested, given a mock trial, and con- as viewed from Earth. Although the moon will demned to death. The following day he was be in Libra, we refer to the event as the Full crucified between two thieves. As scripture Moon in Aries, the sign into which the Sun records, from the sixth hour (noon) to the ninth passed at the Vernal Equinox a week earlier. hour “there was darkness over the whole land.”2 His defeat at the hands of callous Ro- Full moons have had religious significance man administrators, resentful Jewish leaders, since the dawn of history, and the full moon in and the forces of darkness seemed complete. Aries acquired special significance as the her- ald of spring. In Judaism the occasion was Yet within three days Christ rose from the chosen to celebrate their forebears’ deliverance dead. Mary Magdalene found the empty tomb from Egypt. The seven-day Feast of Passover and then encountered a figure whom, after begins on the evening of the Aries Full Moon. some initial confusion, she recognized as her Christian tradition places the Crucifixion on a risen Lord. Shortly thereafter he appeared to Friday, which may have been the first day of the other disciples and later to “five hundred Passover or the previous day.1 Christ rose from brethren at once.”3 Believers came to under- the dead, reportedly on the following Sunday. stand the meaning of Christ’s death: he was the Easter, bearing vernal associations with re- Paschal Lamb (the very symbol of Aries), will- birth, came to be celebrated on the first Sunday ingly sacrificed on humanity’s behalf. Through after the Aries Full Moon. the resurrection he overcame death and sin and manifested the Glory of God. The risen Christ Easter is the high point of the Christian liturgi- ushered in a new era, a new dispensation, a cal year. It is the culmination of Holy Week, a new covenant with his people. week of deep introspection that traditionally begins immediately after the principal service The sacred story took shape over the first dec- on Palm Sunday. This year the Full Moon oc- ades and centuries of the Common Era. In due curs in the middle of Holy Week, on Tuesday course it was anointed by the institutional in the Eastern Hemisphere or early Wednesday church and passed into the scriptural canon. in the Americas. But other stories also circulated. The Gnostics were reluctant to believe that a divine Christ Christianity’s sacred story, as it has come could suffer and die. One Gnostic writer down to us, relates that Jesus Christ rode into claimed that the authorities crucified the wrong Jerusalem to cheering crowds waving palm man, and in so doing condemned themselves. branches. But within a few days people were In this account Jesus proclaimed: conspiring to kill him. On the Thursday of the first Holy Week, Christ presided over the Last Yes, they saw me; they punished me. It was Supper and instituted the Eucharist to be an another, their father, who drank the gall and eternal extension of his Incarnation. Before the the vinegar; it was not I. They struck me supper was over, Judas Iscariot left to betray with the reed; it was another, Simon, who him into the hands of the authorities. bore the cross on his shoulder. I was another upon Whom they placed the crown of

thorns. But I was rejoicing in the height unfolding eternally on cosmic realms. Still over all the wealth of the archons and the others find meaning in the traditional Easter offspring of their error, of their empty glo- story but struggle to reconcile it with esoteric ry. And I was laughing at their ignorance.4 teachings. Another account acknowledged the reality of Christian esotericists are challenged to recon- the crucifixion but provided a description of cile scriptural accounts of the first Holy Week the resurrection not found in the canonical with awareness that the Master Jesus and the New Testament: Christ were distinct entities. Esotericists, drawing upon teachings stretching back to the first [I]n the night whereon the Lord’s day century Gnostic Cerinthus, assert that the dawned, as the soldiers were keeping guard Christ is a divine or semi-divine individuality … there came a great sound in the heaven, who overshadowed his disciple Jesus during and they saw the heavens opened and two the three-year Palestinian ministry. The precise men descend thence, shining with a great nature of their relationship may be a mystery light, and drawing near unto the sepulcher. beyond our comprehension, but the Christian And that stone which had been set on the doctrine of the hypostatic union was certainly door rolled away of itself and went back to not unjustified.7 On the other hand esotericists the side, and the sepulcher was opened and assert that the relationship was temporary: it both of the young men entered in …. began with the baptism in the Jordan and end- [T]hree men come out of the sepulcher, and ed with the crucifixion, after which the Jesus two of them sustaining the other, and a and the Christ took distinct paths. The Christ, cross following, after them. And of the two whom we also know as the Lord Maitreya or [the soldiers] saw that their heads reached the Bodhisattva, is the World Teacher and unto heaven, but of him that was led by head of the vast Second Ray Ashram in the them that it overpassed the heavens.5 Planetary Hierarchy, with global responsibility The account continued: “And they heard a for religion and education. The Master Jesus is voice out of the heavens saying: Hast thou (or head of the Sixth Ray Ashram, with special Thou hast) preached unto them that sleep? And responsibility for Christianity. an answer was heard from the cross, saying: Once we accept the distinction between Jesus Yea.” and the Christ, three questions inevitably arise: These accounts were suppressed by the institu- who died on the cross; who, if anyone, “rose tional church. Yet alternative interpretations of from the dead”; and who appeared to Mary Easter surfaced from time to time, and they Magdalene and the other disciples? The Tibet- continue today. Traditional Christians believe an Master Djwhal Khul answered the first that the New Testament account is literally question thus: “It was the Master Jesus who true. Moreover, with Paul, they declare that “if ‘died’ and entered into the tomb, thus climax- Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, ing His long series of incarnations and ending and your faith is also vain.”6 Liberals are will- – by destruction – the hold of matter on the ing to believe that a worthy man named Jesus spirit.”8 was crucified, but they reject notions that he The second question is an important one, since was divine or rose from the dead. Great num- we regard the physical body and the other ve- bers of people are indifferent to the whole is- hicles of the lower quaternary as temporary sue and regard Easter as a secular holiday. sheaths, and physical death as in no way af- Esotericists are by no means unanimous in fecting the life of the “real” human entity. For their own responses. Some, following Gnostic us the resuscitation of a corpse would serve precedents, declare that Jesus did not die on little purpose. To people whose consciousness the cross but went to live in India. Others re- was focused on material existence, however, it gard the crucifixion and resurrection, if they might have demonstrated the reality of ongo- happened at all, merely as symbols of events ing life.

The Tibetan referred to “the story of the resur- The Tibetan confirmed that the Jesus was in- rection in which the Master Jesus arose out of deed the one who “appeared to Mary, weeping the tomb.” But he stated emphatically: “the outside the door of the sepulcher.” But “except Christ did not rise out of a rocky sepulcher and in this one brief episode” it was “the Christ reassume His discarded body.” Rather, the Ti- Who is indicated as appearing after the resur- betan interpreted res- rection.”12 urrection to mean While western Christianity has Jesus’ appearance to “rising to an original Mary was probably state.” Thus the resur- tended to view Christ’s incarna- in his astral body, rection was the “far tion in terms of atonement, perhaps still bearing more important event Eastern Orthodox theologians material from his [in which] the Christ etheric body, which passed through the insist that he came to unlock our formed a wraith. seventh Initiation of latent potential to become divine Christ’s appearances Resurrection and re- beings. That doctrine of theosis, to the disciples were turned back to His more likely in a ma- original state of Being or “deification,” comes tantaliz- yavirupa. Fifth—and – to remain there ingly close to esoteric teachings higher—degree initi- throughout all the ates are believed to eternities.”9 Jesus, by on our divine destiny. We would be capable of mani- contrast, attained the add that, in addition to his own festing a mayavirupa, fourth initiation initiation, the Christ brought which has a measure through his suffering of solidity but is not and death on the about a major initiation for hu- subject to normal cross, and went on to manity and the planet. physical laws.13 It is attain the fifth initia- worth noting that esoteric teachings on the mation as Apollonius of Tyana. 10 Hence we call yavirupa correspond closely to descriptions of him the Master Jesus. the sōma pneumatikon, or “spiritual body,” in Anthroposophist and stigmatic Judith von Hal- the writings of Paul.14 le provided an interesting insight into the third The distinction between the Master Jesus and question. Endowed with the ability to view the Christ, and the notion that the hypostatic historical events with more than clairvoyant union was only temporary, are stumbling vision, von Halle described the scene when the blocks to a synthesis of beliefs among tradi- “gardener” asked Mary Magdalene “Whom tional Christians and esotericists. Yet most seek ye?”: Christians could affirm with the Tibetan that He asked her this question as a teacher of the Easter Festival “is the festival of the risen, initiation asks his pupil. With this question living Christ … the Expression of the Love of He asked her if she was seeking Jesus or God.”15 While they and esotericists might have Christ. But initially she was only looking different perceptions of what was entailed, for Jesus of Nazareth, her beloved teacher they could agree that Christ’s incarnation in his physical body. But as Christ then changed the world. touched her heart (in the Gospels this is Most traditional Christians would not recog- when He called her by her name) she react- nize the Christ as “the Teacher of all men and ed immediately, so filled with love and so the Head of the Spiritual Hierarchy.”16 Yet overwhelmed … that she forgot every- greater awareness of the Planetary Hierarchy, thing… At the moment of “reunion” every- and of the Christ’s central role in it, is urgently thing was forgotten; she believed He was needed if a broad-based expansion of human by her again as before. She fell down be- consciousnes is to take place. Belief in the fore Him full of love and wanted to kiss his feet.11

Communion of Saints can provide a starting Our immediate focus is on the Full Moon in point for introducing traditional Christians to Aries, which ushers in the Higher Interlude. To the concept of the Hierarchy of Masters. this end it will be helpful to examine the astro- logical significance of the sign. The esoteric The Master Djwhal Khul prophesied that the ruler of Aries is Mercury, which “leads into the Festival of Easter will become one of three mysteries,”21 while Uranus, its hierarchical major festivals to be celebrated worldwide in ruler, “is peculiarly active at this time and the liturgy of a New World Religion. The oth- brings in the energy of the seventh ray” of cer- ers are the Buddhist Festival of Wesak, at the emony.22 The ceremonial rituals of Easter, the Full Moon in Taurus, and a new festival, most impressive in the Christian liturgical cal- World Goodwill Day, or Festival of the Christ, endar, may well be absorbed into the restored at the Full Moon in Gemini. mysteries. Mars, however, is the exoteric ruler The Tibetan explained that the establishment of Aries. Mars is a planet of action, with ideal- of “certain major festivals in relation to the istic Sixth Ray associations, reminding us of moon, and in a lesser degree to the zodiac, will the festival’s practical implications. Finally, bring a strengthening of the spirit of invocation we should not forget that the Sun, with its Sec- and the resultant inflow of responsive influ- ond Ray quality, is exalted in Aries. This com- ences.” Incorporating the historically separate bination of influences offers something of the observances of Easter and the Wesak Festival potency to which the Tibetan referred. into a common framework will establish “a We can observe the Easter Festival by joining certain uniformity in the world religious rituals with disciples throughout the world in invok- [which] will aid men everywhere to strengthen ing energies of the First and Second Rays and each other's work and enhance powerfully the putting them to work. Second Ray energy thought currents directed to the waiting Spir- flows through the Solar Logos – and we note itual Lives.”17 In the New World Religion, the that this is the second solar system – and Tibetan continued, “all men of spiritual incli- through the Christ. First Ray energy, the ener- nation and intention everywhere will keep the gy of Aries, flows through Shamballa. Will or same holy days. This will bring about a pool- Power, mediated by Love-Wisdom, provides a ing of spiritual resources and a united spiritual firm basis for effective action. The world’s effort, plus a simultaneous spiritual invocation. many problems require vigorous action to The potency of this will be apparent.18 strengthen the growing powers of Light and to The three festivals extend over the three-month lay to rest the declining—but still all-too- liturgical season we call the Higher Interlude, a apparent—forces of darkness. The New World time of special opportunity for spiritual growth Religion, the Externalization of the Hierarchy, and service. It is a time when “abstract or di- the Reappearance of the Christ, and Restora- vine thought impresses the Soul and is trans- tion of the Mysteries cannot occur until signif- mitted to the waiting mind.”19 Esoteric stu- icant progress is made toward the establish- dents have been observing the season for sixty ment of right human relations. It is our respon- years, and participation increases year by year. sibility to make that happen. During the rest of the year, with its lesser Full While we should not miss the opportunity to Moon festivals, we assimilate what has been participate in the worldwide invocation, we received. At each full moon the Hierarchy can also join with Christians in the traditional reaches out to humanity in a distinctive way. celebration of Easter. While western Christian- Full implementation of the New World Reli- ity has tended to view Christ’s incarnation in gion will require active intervention by senior terms of atonement, Eastern Orthodox theolo- members of the Hierarchy and still lies in the gians insist that he came to unlock our latent future. Yet early signs of its development are potential to become divine beings. That doc- already becoming apparent,20 and there is trine of theosis, or “deification,” comes tanta- much we can and should do in the months lizingly close to esoteric teachings on our di- ahead to facilitate it. vine destiny.23 We would add that, in addition

78 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 to his own initiation, the Christ brought about a major initiation for humanity and the planet. 8 Alice A. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations The Christian Easter is not just a commemora- (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing Co., 1960), 355. tive festival, however. It is also an ongoing 9 celebration of new Light, new Life, and new Ibid., 730. Despite the apparent clarity of this Love. In the words of an Easter prayer: statement, the Tibetan’s teachings leave some uncertainty regarding the initiatory level the Christ, you are risen with the sun; you are Christ attained. See The Rays and the Initia- light in our darkness, warmth in our cold. tions, 83, 730; also Initiation, Human and Solar, 17. You are peace and hope and joy …. You 10 live eternally, and with you live the mil- Alice A. Bailey, Initiation: Human and Solar lions, living and dead, who trust you.24 (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing Co., 1922), 56-57. The Easter Festival is a living, vibrant occa- 11 Judith von Halle, And If He Has Not Been sion when people of goodwill everywhere can Raised (Forest Row, UK: Temple Lodge 2007), join with the Planetary Hierarchy, whom we 134. Emphasis and parenthetical clause in origi- trust, in collective resolve to put into practice nal. 12 Alice A. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, what the Christ initiated 2,000 years ago. The 355. Tibetan declared: “On this day the Spiritual 13 Alice A. Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hi- Hierarchy, which [the Christ] guides and di- erarchy (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing Co., rects, will be recognized, and the nature of 1957), 697. See also A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 25 God’s love will be emphasized.” In joy and 772. John 20:20–29 records that the risen Christ expectation, let us seize the opportunity to pro- could pass through walls. claim the risen Christ, the reality of the Hierar- 14 1 Corinthians 15:44. 15 chy, and the eternal love of God. Alice A. Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hi- erarchy (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing Co., 1957), 420. 16 Ibid. 1 The gospels disagree on which day Jesus was 17 Alice A. Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hi- crucified. The synoptic gospels state that the erarchy (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing Co., Last Supper was a paschal meal, and that he 1957), 419-420. died the following afternoon. John suggests that 18 Ibid., 420. the Last Supper was held the evening before the 19 Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic beginning of Passover. (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing Co., 1934), 2 Mark 15:33. 517. 3 1 Corinthians 15:6. 20 John F. Nash, “The New World Religion: Op- 4 Second Treatise of the Great Seth (trans: R. A. portunities and Challenges,” The Esoteric Quar- Bullard and J. A. Gibbons), Nag Hammadi Li- terly (Summer 2012), 17-38. brary. : http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/2seth- 21 Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology (New York, .html. (accessed Jan. 25, 2013). NY: Lucis Publishing Co., 1951), 549. 5 Gospel of Peter 34-41 (trans.: M. R. James), 22 Ibid., 548. The Apocryphal New Testament, Oxford: Clar- 23 John F. Nash, “Theosis: A Christian Perspective endon Press, 1924. http://www.gnosis.org/lib- on Human Destiny,” The Esoteric Quarterly rary/gospete.htm. (accessed Oct. 23, 2012). (Spring 2011), 15-33. 6 1 Corinthians 15:14. 24 Book of Common Prayer (Hastings, NZ: Angli- 7 John F. Nash, “Christology: Toward a Synthesis can Church of New Zealand, 1989), 555. of Christian Doctrine and Esoteric Teachings,” 25 Alice A. Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hi- The Esoteric Quarterly (Winter 2012), 37-61. erarchy, 420.

Festival of Wesak 2013 The One Life, the One Humanity Frank Hilton (written in 1973)

n thinking about this month’s full moon talk, completely, but the striving for such I I wondered what note should be sounding achievement is in itself a part of the libera- forth at this Wesak Festival, what note the tion and the foundation for inner security. Spiritual Hierarchy would have us radiate out Arthur C. Clarke, the well-known British space into the three worlds of human thinking, feel- scientist and science fiction writer, in his book ing and action. The answer that came to me Profiles of the Future, assured us that, in his was that it is not a new note, but one that has view of the future, “communication satellites been sounding down the ages, one not general- will end ages of isolation, making us all mem- ly recognized and taken up, repeated and im- bers of a single family, teaching us to read and plemented except by the Masters, initiates and speak, however imperfectly, a single lan- a few world disciples. guage.” And he concluded, “ours will be the However, this note has been sounding ever last century of the savage.” more clearly, not just on Hierarchical levels, I found this same note echoing through a little but on human levels, and is recognized by booklet put out by a group based in San Diego, people of every land, race and creed. And if we California, with connections in many coun- look for it, it is amazing how it is being echoed tries. There is no hint in their booklet of the by individuals and groups here, there and eve- esoteric teachings in the usual sense, yet they rywhere. The Master Djwhal Khul deliberately sound the note of one humanity and the one drew our attention to it in his Wesak message life. These people are working toward a of 1944 when World War II was raging: “I ask worldwide yearly observance of what they call you to drop your antagonisms and your antipa- “World Life Day.” They affirm, “We are all thies, your hatreds and your racial differences, part of the Earth Organism, the body of life on and attempt to think in terms of the one family, Earth,” and go on to say: the one Life and the one humanity.” (EXT: 468) If we were to imagine a transparent Earth revolving in space, the layer of life would Albert Einstein, a great disciple who is no be so thin on its surface as to be almost in- longer with us on the physical plane, but who visible, a fragile living bubble wheeling be- worked in the scientific field, wrote during his tween a roasting sun and frozen space. And 70th year: now we know it is in danger at the hands of A human being is a part of the whole, humans. “World Life Day”—the world called by us “Universe,” a part limited in community event—is only one of many time and space. He experiences himself, his possible tools to help us all to wake up and thoughts and feelings, as something sepa- get involved in life-saving actions. rated from the rest—a kind of optical delu- Their beautifully written booklet gives a flash- sion of his consciousness. This delusion is a back to primitive man eons ago: kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few So it was when our ancestors gathered the persons nearest to us. Our task must be to tribe together. They called themselves the free ourselves from this prison by widening people. Not the people, the chosen people, our circle of compassion to embrace all liv- but rather the people among the birds, the ing creatures and the whole nature in its trees, the grasses, the insects, the fish. From beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this their perspective and isolated valleys and

with little transportation and communica- Donald M. Fraser, the Chairman of the House tion, in their ceremonials, virtually all of Subcommittee on International Organizations humanity, almost every person they knew and Movements, stated, “most young people of was there, together, sharing in the dance do not share our generation’s blind allegiance of life. to national sovereignty. They see themselves as citizens of a common community and view But it slid away from us as we scattered exclusive devotion to national boundaries as an about the continents and stood with stony outdated concept.” mountain walls between, with wide deserts and endless oceans separating us and ob- In line with Congressman Fraser’s comment is scuring the fact of that other side of us— the movement called the Planetary Citizen that we are not only different, but in endless Register centered in Ottawa, Canada, which detail the same. has as its aim the encouraging of people to declare themselves planetary citizens. This is not In the last centuries the tools of locomotion a rejection of one’s own nation, but its inclu- and communication that threw us across the sion in the larger whole of humanity—the globe have brought us back upon ourselves, recognition of the need to place human interest and as we become ever more closely aware above national interest, and human sovereignty of one another—in a new way—we are be- above national sovereignty. They ask people to ginning again to see the other side, the uni- sign the registry form, which affirms: ty of us all. We are almost ready for world community consciousness. After thousands I recognize my membership in the human of years of divergence, it is now possible— community; I recognize my allegiance to and possibly inevitable—that again all of us humanity while I reaffirm my allegiance to will gather together about the fire in pro- my own family, community, state or prov- found celebration, but this time about the ince and nation. As a member of the plane- fire of the sun itself, and this time at a point tary family of humanity, the good of the in time rather than at a particular location world community is my first concern. on the planet’s surface. Therefore, I will work to end divisions and wars; I will work for the realization of hu- This will become the world community man rights – civil and political, economic, event. It will recur with the steady rhythm social and cultural – for all people; I will of the seasons. It will be different from all work to bring the actions of nations into past human events in that it will involve conformity with the needs of the world virtually the whole family of human beings community; I will work for the strengthen- at a single time, in a single human event. It ing and improvement of the United Na- will once again give us the experience we tions. felt in primitive ceremonials of relation to the whole of humanity and to all of life in That this project is Hierarchically inspired the universe. would seem obvious from the list of first en- dorsers of the Human Manifesto and pledge of Many other projects have appeared that are planetary citizenship. All 87 signers have keyed to the same basic idea. For instance, proved by their lives of service, their vision United Nations Day, observed on October 24th and dedication to raising human conscious- each year on the anniversary of the signing of ness, that they truly belong with the New the United Nations Charter—that first major Group of World Servers. [Note: we could not crack in the hitherto ironclad armor of separa- find mention of this group on the Internet, but tive nationalism and the first faint, as yet half- we did find another group called World Gov- hearted, recognition that just as men and wom- ernment of World Citizens based in Washing- en make up a nation, so nations are but parts in ton DC. They subscribe to similar principles, the larger whole of human life on this planet. and more information about them can be found Speaking generally, the younger generation at: http://www.worldservice.org/index.html?- sees this more readily than the older ones. s=1. This should not be considered an en-

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 81 The Esoteric Quarterly dorsement of this group, but it is something to nevertheless surely. With that higher level of investigate if you are interested.] being and those great lives in mind, the Mas- ters of the Wisdom and Lords of Compassion, All these movements, ideas and projects are what are the occult implications of the few ex- concerned with humanity as a whole and not amples I have mentioned – examples of the individuals of a particular race, creed or na- inner note that is sounding and that we must tion—human beings struggling to grow to the echo and strengthen at this Wesak. fullness of their potential stature, A human being is a part of the Apart from the obvi- human souls seek- ous necessity for in- ing to discover and whole, called by us “Universe,” a dividual, national and express their innate part limited in time and space. He international planning divinity, God im- experiences himself, his thoughts and action to be manent, the love- geared to the needs of wisdom of the and feelings, as something sepa- all people, to the overshadowing rated from the rest—a kind of op- needs of the one hu- Soul. manity, according to tical delusion of his consciousness. the esoteric teach- And while we de- This delusion is a kind of prison ings, there are vitally plore and are horri- important long-range fied by the dreadful for us, restricting us to our per- planetary implica- suffering and waste sonal desires and to affection for a tions. The Tibetan of life and natural often reminds us how resources, the de- few persons nearest to us. Our limited and self- spoliation of a fruit- task must be to free ourselves centered human ful countryside that from this prison by widening our thinking is, and occurs during wars points out that the being waged in var- circle of compassion to embrace human kingdom is ious corners of the all living creatures and the whole but one of many— globe, has it not, at nature in its beauty. seen and unseen— least, burned into within our total plan- our consciousness that all this has been hap- etary life, and that there are vast purposes and pening to human beings with their hopes and plans working out that even the Masters are fears, weaknesses and strengths, hopes and striving to fully grasp and understand. aspirations, just like ourselves? Hasn’t it made a mockery of ironbound ideologies and vaunt- We think in lifetimes or, historically, a few ed national pride? It is humanity and human thousand years. They think not in terms of evolution that really matters; for the human years but in terms of the Divine Purpose, of kingdom has a great destiny yet to be recog- fulfilling the Will of the Planetary Logos in its nized and fulfilled. That destiny is to be the great redemptive task. They think of the longer agent of the Will of God to the lower king- cycles of the birth, growth, flowering of peo- doms of the planetary life, which is yet One ples and races, of planetary systems and the Life, the expression of “Him in Whom we live place and function of Earth within the solar and move and have our being.” system, and within that yet larger “Life about Whom naught may be said.” Yet, in this vast At these Wesak Festivals our thoughts are nec- process, what is happening now to humanity essarily turned toward the Spiritual Hierar- has an ordered place, and this “recognition of chy—and beyond, to Shamballa, the center the one humanity” that we have been consider- where the Will of God is known. They are ing is a basic prerequisite for planned action by turned toward the inner higher realms where a group of great Chohans of the sixth initiation the divine Plan exists as a living, substantial working in concert with Sanat Kumara in form whose full expression on Earth is slowly Shamballa. It is linked with what is occultly coming about—so slowly, so painfully, but

82 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. Summer 2013 described as “the sowing of the seed of the will take place. The next race will be a fu- divine Will.” Here is a passage from The Rays sion of the whole, and a worldwide recogni- and the Initiations that we cannot hope to fully tion of the One Humanity is an essential comprehend, but that can stretch our minds, prerequisite of the sowing. It is the creation enlarge our consciousness and bring a tiny of this universal recognition that will be glimpse of the vision that the Masters hold be- one of the major tasks of the reappearing fore themselves. Christ and His attendant Hierarchy. When the “little wills of men” are beginning to re- The Tibetan is speaking about the eighth and spond on a measurably large scale to the ninth initiations—those that lie as far ahead of greater Will of the divine Life, then the ma- the Masters of the fifth initiation as the fifth jor task of Shamballa will become possible. initiation lies ahead of us: Nevertheless, prior to that, humanity must The eighth and the ninth initiations … re- respond to the light and the love that are the late to the initiations of those methods and preparatory streams of spiritual energy and techniques whereby the “seed of will,” that are already pouring forth in response to which will later flower into the third solar human invocation. [pp. 659-660] system, can be nurtured and fostered and its So let us recognize gladly, and as a source of growth promoted. This nurturing and fos- courage, the significance of the note we are tering will be the task of a group of Masters sounding, “the recognition of the one humani- (to be developed in the next major race) ty.” Let us remember that it is an essential pre- Who, at the Initiation of Decision, the sixth requisite of the sowing of the seed of the di- initiation, will dedicate Themselves, as a vine Will, and that our present race has almost group, to the Path of Earth Service. They completed the preparatory work for that sow- will specifically and with full enlighten- ing. ment pledge Themselves to the promotion of Sanat Kumara’s project. In winter or early spring the newly ploughed field bears little resemblance to the richness of Our modern civilization today (under the verdure, flower and grain that will follow the hammer of the destroyer aspect) is being sowing of the seed, and our present world is in changed; old things are passing away, hav- some ways analogous to that ploughed field. ing served their purpose. The new thing is Could we say that the basic earth of human not yet noted or appreciated, though already nature everywhere needs the magic nutrient, present. The work of preparation for the the fertilizer, the recognition that all people are planting of the germ or seed of the divine essentially one, with a common destiny of a Will on Earth is nearly over; when the Hi- glory undreamed of – a oneness, which once erarchy is externalized, and people as a recognized, releases the energy of goodwill whole recognize the position on Earth of and inevitably builds right human relations? the Christ and of His church “invisible” What does it mean to us as individuals in our (the union of all Souls made perfect, which everyday routine lives, particularly in the face is a true description of the Hierarchy), of what seems a recrudescence of evil in the then—in a manner unforeseen by humani- world, and for those of us living in the cities— ty—Shamballa will assume control, and and yes, even in smaller towns too—who are from the Council Chamber of Sanat Kuma- living with violence every day and, on the sur- ra will issue forth the Sower of the Seed. face, a seemingly greater division of humani- He will sow it within the ground prepared ty? by humanity, and thus the future is assured, not for the planetary Logos alone, but for We cannot hide from responsibility in a cloak that greater Whole in which our planet of righteous indignation, or escape onto “cloud plays its little part. That moment lies ahead nine” by affirming our particular individual or in the civilization that shall be, and in the group goodness. We have to live and prove the next great race that will emerge out of all esoteric teachings, to recognize evil, yet fight our modern races and nations, the sowing for good. Above all, we have to recognize

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 83 The Esoteric Quarterly causes. We all know about the Law of Cause will relate human beings within the ring-pass- and Effect, but do we apply it as we should in not of humanity itself, and will bring the hu- understanding what is happening in the world? man center en rapport with the Hierarchy, cre- Where lie the causes of present-day violence? ating a free interplay between the two of them One brief trip through any of the great cities of and thus making possible the appearance of the the world—one one brief trip with open eyes— Kingdom of God on Earth.” [DINA2:184] and we know the causes that go back many, As we all know, the Wesak Festival is a time many years. And we know that we permitted of rededication for aspirants and disciples, a those causes to arise. What values were pre- time of recommitment. The underlying one- sented, or failed to be presented, that either ness of humanity is a fact to the Hierarchy and seeded violence or nurtured it? Evil is a face in to the initiate and world disciple. As yet, for life, but it cannot thrive unless it has the right most of us, it is still just an idea on the mental soil. plane, but fortunately it is an increasingly rec- We have talked of love, but do we really love? ognized idea and one that, through growing We have asserted that spiritual values must recognition and aspiration to see it fulfilled, is rule, but how far have we gone along with or rapidly becoming a human ideal. As we know, acquiesced in material values? When we learn an idea on the mental plane remains simply an of violence, or experience it first hand, are we idea until it is clothed with aspirational sub- content to be swept with indignation and feel- stance, when it becomes an ideal ardently ings of personal offense, or do we calmly, in sought and worked for in order to bring it into the light of the mind and in a spirit of love and full outer expression on the physical plane. compassion, seek the causes and try to change So we have to bring this idea of the one hu- them? If we don’t, we are rejecting our spiritu- manity down from the realm of ideas, to hold it al training. How far do we unwittingly aid evil as a strong ideal, and know that it is a practical through negative criticism and emotional ideal. And, above all, we have to work for it. splurges? How far do we over-emphasize What is needed is commitment to the one hu- wrong-doing in daily conversations and atti- manity. Commitment is the keyword. To illus- tudes and fail to recognize and pay tribute to— trate that I would like to share something writ- and thereby strengthen—the countless acts— ten by W.H. Murray that I found on a greeting big and small—of daily sacrifice, caring and card issued by the Sierra Club: help given within families, between neighbors and communities, and on a national and inter- Until one is committed there is hesitance, national level? the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one When we see the picture whole, and not myop- elementary truth: that the moment one defi- ically, we can really mean what we say when nitely commits oneself, then Providence we reiterate Private Tim Meadow’s affirmation moves too. All sorts of things occur to help in Christopher Fry’s play The Sleep of Prison- one that would never otherwise have oc- ers: “Thank God our time is now when wrong curred. Goethe wrote: “Whatever you can comes up to face us everywhere … never to do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness leave us until we take the longest stride of soul has genuine power and magic in it.” men ever took.” Let us also never forget – and use with power – the potent formula, the man- Let us bring this thought of “Commitment to tra-prayer, the Great Invocation. Let us recall the One Humanity” into our meditation at this what the Tibetan wrote about the effect of the time. Great Invocation: “The use of the Invocation

Festival of Goodwill 2013 Goodwill Toward All Life

Dorothy I. Riddle

he Festival of Goodwill offers us a time planet into seven kingdoms, of which the fol- T each year to reflect on the power of good- lowing are the first five: mineral, vegetable, will, or the expression of the divine Will-to- animal, human, Egoic or Soul. Esoteric teach- Good on this planetary level. The overall focus ings comment on our relationship with the oth- of the Ageless Wisdom teachings regarding er three kingdoms: “Humanity’s work for the goodwill is on bringing about right human re- animal kingdom is to stimulate instinct until lations. individualization is possible. Work for the vegetable kingdom is to foster the perfume- We have the opportunity and responsibility, producing faculty and to adapt plant life to the though, to reflect beyond humanity. After all, myriad uses of humans and of animals. Work the theory of hylozoism, which underlies all with the mineral kingdom is to work alchemi- esoteric teachings, “posits a living substance, cally and magically.”3 composed of a multiplicity of sentient lives that are continuously swept into expression by What we know from cosmology is that these the ‘breath of the divine Life.’ This theory … kingdoms are all part of a single interconnect- emphasizes the fact that all forms are built up ed energy field and that the dynamic of inter- of infinitesimal lives, which in their totality— connectivity and free circulation of energy is great or small—constitute a Life, and that as important as each of the individual king- these composite lives, in their turn, are a cor- doms. “The main factor preventing a complete- porate part of a still greater Life. Thus eventu- ly unimpeded sequence of impression from ally we have that great scale of lives, manifest- Shamballa straight down into the mineral ing in greater expression and reaching all the kingdom, via all the other kingdoms, is the way from the tiny life called the atom (with factor of free will, resulting in karmic respon- which science deals) up to that vast atomic life sibility.”4 1 that we call a solar system.” So we have a responsibility to deal effectively We, the fourth kingdom, are all part of the One with the energetic “pollution” that comes pri- Life, along with the animal, vegetable, and marily from human thoughts and emotions. mineral kingdoms: “Humans, the brain of na- Energy inflowing from Shamballa is “‘stepped ture; the animals, the expression of the heart; down’ by humanity’s constant reaction to the vegetable world, the expression of the crea- glamour, to emotional or astral conclusions, tive force or of the throat center; these three and to selfish interpretations. It must be re- kingdoms in nature forming, in a peculiar membered that the activity of all these ‘im- manner, correspondences to the three higher pressing agencies’ is felt in a wide and general centers in human beings, as the three kingdoms sense throughout the entire planet and the on the involutionary arc correspond to the planetary aura. No kingdom in nature escapes three lower centers, and the mineral kingdom this impact.”5 … corresponding to the solar plexus, the great While esoterically it is clear that each kingdom clearinghouse between that which is above and 2 has its own place and function in the whole, that which is below.” we unconsciously operate in terms of Aristo- The Kingdoms of Earth tle’s assertion of the scala naturae (the ladder of nature), which places humans at the top of In the esoteric literature, we are told that the the ranked order of life forms. One Life is differentiated in relation to our

The Concept of Personhood regulating system”11 with the negative consequences of environmental degradation of the Historically, our practical relationship with biosphere and loss of biodiversity becoming members of the first, second, and third king- more obvious. In terms of expressing goodwill, doms has been that of ownership and exploita- it is important to remember that all parts of the tion. Animals, vegetables and minerals have biosphere that we call the Earth are inhabited been viewed as resources for our own use by living organisms, and that both Earth itself without regard to any moral rights that they and many of the entities living within it meet might have. We may have been benevolently the criteria of personhood. protective, especially in the context of the environmental movement, but we have not nec- In recognition that what we call “nature” is in essarily thought of “goodwill” in our interac- fact an interrelated series of living ecosystems, tions with them because we have not thought Ecuador amended its Constitution to assert the of them as entities in their own right—or as inalienable rights of ecosystems, giving people being “beyond use.” the right to petition on their behalf.12 In 2010, Bolivia passed the Law of the Rights of Moth- While in esoteric circles, we may have main- er Earth, which includes the right of the Earth tained a paternalistic attitude towards members to not be polluted, to continue vital cycles un- of these other kingdoms, some environmental altered, to be free of genetic alteration, and to and legal organizations have started to raise be free of imbalance from mega-infrastructure questions. These include the Center for Earth and development projects.13 The United Na- Jurisprudence,6 the Nonhuman Rights Project,7 tions is formally considering adopting a Uni- and Wild Law UK,8 as well as community ac- versal Declaration of Rights for Mother tion groups such as the Global Alliance for the Earth,14 modeled on the Bolivian law. In addi- Rights of Nature.9 tion, it is considering the enshrining of ecocide Personhood is defined as having the following (any large-scale destruction of the natural envi- characteristics: self-awareness, with a rich in- ronment or over-consumption of critical non- ner life; being intelligent and able to think ab- renewable resources) as an international crime stractly; being able to reflect on and choose against peace.15 In September 2012, New Zea- one’s actions; being emotionally sophisticated land declared the Whangangui River an “inte- and empathic; having complex social relation- grated, living entity” with legal personhood ships; and being able to work cooperatively. status.16 Once personhood is acknowledged, there are From the above initiatives we can see the be- certain moral or inherent rights that follow. If ginning of a shift away from protection of the we reflect on the inherent rights of person- biosphere in order to ensure abundance for hood, we can begin to see that, if entities in the ourselves and toward respect for the environ- other kingdoms are acknowledged as nonhu- ment and its components as living entities in man persons, there would be definite changes their own right. needed not only in our attitudes and actions but also how we express goodwill to these nonhu- Goodwill Toward the Animal Kingdom man persons. We are told that “[domesticated] animals are to Goodwill Toward the Earth their own kingdom what the New Group of World Servers is to humanity. The New Group In esoteric terms, we know that “the Planetary of World Servers is the linking bridge and the Logos, the One in Whom we live and move mode of communication between the Hierar- and have our being, is the informing, ensouling chy (the fifth kingdom) and Humanity (the life of this planet, the Earth. It is Its life that fourth kingdom) under the present divine Plan; integrates the planet as a whole, and Its life the domesticated animals fulfill, therefore, an that pours through all forms—great or small— analogous function between Humanity (the that, in their aggregate, constitute the planetary fourth kingdom) and the animal kingdom (the form.”10 Further, scientists have demonstrated third).”17 that the planet Earth “behaves as a single, self-

The Great Ape Project, begun in 1994, was the As scientists shift away from imposing human first to address the issue of legal rights and assumptions on animals and instead study how legal standing or personhood for our closest they interact amongst themselves in their own genetic relatives, the Great Apes (chimpan- environment, we are realizing that we have zees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans). It grossly underestimated both the scope and the launched the World scale of animal intel- Declaration on When aspirants pray in the new ligence.21 Great Primates that Goodwill Toward the espouses the right Invocation: ‘Let Light descend on Vegetable Kingdom to life, the right to Earth’ they are invoking some- individual freedom thing that humanity will have to While we may have including protection experience in think- from commercial learn to handle…. All these plane- ing about mammals exploitation or trad- tary developments are attended like whales or ele- ing, and a prohibi- by risks, and none more so than phants as being intel- tion of torture (in- ligent and highly so- cluding testing in that of the absorption of light—on cial, we are less like- research labs).18 a world-wide scale—by humanity, ly to view the vegetable kingdom in that In 1999, New Zea- with a subsequent reflex action on manner. In fact, we land granted basic the three subhuman kingdoms. use the term “vegeta- rights to great apes, tive state” to denote a making their use in Nothing that affects humanity or lack of awareness or research, testing or that stimulates it to a forward- consciousness. If we teaching illegal. In think beyond our 2007, the Balearic moving activity is without its inev- own use of plant life, Islands granted le- itable effect upon the three lower we can recognize that gal personhood kingdoms in nature. “the vegetable king- rights to all great dom is the transmit- apes. Meanwhile Switzerland had amended its ter and the transformer of the vital pranic fluid constitution in 1992 to recognize animals as to the other forms of life on our planet. That is beings rather than as things and added a law on 22 its divine and unique function.” In esoteric respectful treatment of animals.19 Germany terms, “the angels and devas are to the vegeta- followed in 2002 with a constitutional amend- ble kingdom what the spiritual Hierarchy is to ment guaranteeing rights to animals. humanity.”23 The next species to garner attention was the In the tabulation of kingdoms, “the vegetable cetaceans (whales and dolphins). Based on kingdom is the expression of three rays, scientific evidence that cetaceans are extreme- whereas the others are expressions of two. ly intelligent, insightful and self-aware, capa- Through these three, the vegetable kingdom ble of a wide range of emotions, compassion- has been brought to its present condition of ate and altruistic, creative with problem solv- supreme beauty and its developed symbolism ing ability, and cooperative both within and of color. The vegetable kingdom is the out- between species, scientists issued a Declara- standing contribution of our Earth to the gen- tion of Rights for Cetaceans in 2010.20 Ele- eral solar plan. Each of the planets contributes phants are equally as intelligent as cetaceans a unique and specialized quota to the sum total and are insightful, self-aware, capable of a of evolutionary products, and the unique pro- range of emotions, compassionate, altruistic, duction of our particular planetary system is able to use tools and create art, and are orga- the vegetable kingdom … and this is possible nized in a closely knit matriarchal society; because it is the only Kingdom in which three however, they have not yet received formal rays have finally succeeded in coalescing, fus- advocacy as nonhuman persons. ing and blending. They are also the three rays

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 87 The Esoteric Quarterly along a major line of forces, 2-4-6 …. Its suc- parts: the baser metals, as they are called, the cess is demonstrated in the uniformity of its standard metals (such as silver and gold and production of green in the realm of color, platinum), and the semi-precious stones and throughout the entire planet.”24 crystals. The precious jewels are a synthesis of all three—one of the basic syntheses of evolu- Science is demonstrating through studies of tion. In this connection, [there are] some corre- plant neurobiology that many plants are auton- spondences between the mineral kingdom and omous, able to differentiate between self and the human evolutionary cycles.”29 non-self, capable of complex and adaptive be- haviors, able to communicate and warn other It is probably with the mineral kingdom that plants of danger, and are able to enlist allies to we, as humans, feel the least affinity, although aid them. Many forms of plant life, including we are increasingly appreciative of the ener- trees and forests, are entitled to be treated with getic communication of crystals and other gem dignity because they are sensing, highly social stones. We may not have thought through the organisms that communicate extensively, in- implications of the fact that “the mineral king- teract with their surroundings, learn from expe- dom and the kingdom of solar lives (the first rience, are able to integrate diverse sources of and seventh kingdoms) are [both] the result of information and act accordingly, and can dis- the activity of the first and the seventh rays.… tinguish between self and not-self and between These two kingdoms are at the point of the kin and non-kin.25 greatest tenuity and the greatest density, and are produced by the will and the organizing We are only recently appreciating the complex ability of the solar Deity. They embody the social development of plants and have not yet nebulous plan and the concretized plan.”30 had public discussions about the implications of practices we impose on this kingdom (e.g., Bolivia has been the first nation to legally pro- forest clear cutting, genetic modification) in tect the inherent worth of minerals, calling the context of viewing plants as “nonhuman them “blessings.” To date, we have little expe- persons.” So far Switzerland is the only coun- rience in appreciating the mineral kingdom for try that has created a Bill of Rights for Plants, its own esoteric role and contribution rather which states that “living organisms should be than as resources for human use and exploita- considered morally for their own sake because tion. Ordinances on the rights of nature are they are alive.”26 now in place in over thirty U.S. municipalities, including Pittsburgh.31 However, the discus- Goodwill Toward the Mineral Kingdom sions about the negative impact of processes In esoteric teachings, we are reminded that like fracking or tar sands oil extraction are be- “the mineral kingdom is … the most concrete ing framed primarily in terms of impact on expression of the dual unity of power and or- humans rather than on the mineral kingdom der. It constitutes the ‘foundation’ of the or- itself. dered physical structure or the universe of our Broadening Our Focus of Goodwill planet.”27 In understanding the spiritual development of the mineral kingdom, “there are If we include the Earth and the other kingdoms three stages in the evolutionary processes in our loving determination to bring about right [that] are the correspondences in the mineral relations, then we have the responsibility to kingdom to the stages of animal consciousness, change our assumptions and how we act. We of self-consciousness, and of the radiant group can start with a modification of the Tibetan’s consciousness of the soul. There is a fourth definition of goodwill as being “goodness of stage of potency or of organized expressed heart, kindness in action, consideration for power, but this lies ahead and is the analogy in others, and mass action to promote [the] wel- this kingdom to the life of the Monad.”28 fare of [all beings, human and nonhuman].”32 Further, “fire, intense heat, and pressure … One component of this change is to reflect on have already succeeded in bringing about the the implications of hylozoism and the fact that divisions of the mineral kingdom into three we are all equally important parts of the One

Life. The animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms are not subordinate to us—they are not 4 Alice A. Bailey, Telepathy and the Etheric Ve- lesser beings aspiring to human status. Rather, hicle (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing, 1950), they are entities profoundly affected by the 80. choices we make. “When aspirants pray in the 5 Ibid, 78. new Invocation: ‘Let Light descend on Earth’ 6 See http://earthjuris.org/about/. they are invoking something that humanity 7 See http://www.nonhumanrightsproject.org/. will have to learn to handle…. All these plane- 8 See http://www.wildlawuk.org/index.html. 9 tary developments are attended by risks, and See http://therightsofnature.org/. 10 Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle, 182-183. none more so than that of the absorption of 11 light—on a world-wide scale—by humanity, See the 2001Amsterdam Declaration on Global Change, signed by 1,500 scientists from over with a subsequent reflex action on the three 100 countries (http://www.essp.org/index.php- subhuman kingdoms. Nothing that affects hu- ?id=41). manity or that stimulates it to a forward- 12 Christina L. Madden, “Laws Gone Wild in Ec- moving activity is without its inevitable effect uador: Indigenous People and Ecosystems Gain upon the three lower kingdoms in nature. For- Rights,” Policy Innovations, 2 October 2008 get not! Humanity is the macrocosm to this (http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/briefi threefold lower microcosm.”33 ngs/data/000077). 13 Cecilia Jamasmie, “New Bolivian Law Poses Another component is to remember the Tibet- Serious Challenges for Mining Companies,” an’s admonition that goodwill needs to be “ac- Mining.com, 29 October 2012 (http://www.- tive in expression and in tangible deed upon mining.com/new-bolivian-law-poises--serious- the physical plane.”34 How do we act on this challenges-for-mining-companies-34199/). shift in consciousness? Perhaps we could begin 14 See the Universal Declaration of the Rights of by reflecting on the implications of the follow- Mother Earth introduced at the United Nations ing inalienable and fundamental rights of all in April 2010 (http://climateandcapitalism.- beings, human and nonhuman: com/2010/04/27/universal-declaration-of-the- rights-of-mother-earth/); Thalif Deen, “Global 1. To exist, persist, maintain, regenerate and Campaign to Bestow Legal Rights on Mother flourish within their usual environment or Earth,” 24 May 2011 (https://www.common- community free from imposed disruptions. dreams.org/headline/2011/05/24-7). 15 Juliette Jowit, “British Campaigner Urges UN 2. To be treated with respect as distinct, self- to Accept ‘Ecocide’ as International Crime,” regulating and interrelated beings. The Guardian, 9 April 2010 (http://www.- guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/apr/09/ecoc- 3. To live free from torture, cruel treatment, ide-crime-genocide-un-environmental- or servitude. damage); Polly Higgins, “Ecocide Was to Be th 4. To have clean water as a source of life, the 5 Crime Against Peace,” Common clean air, and an absence of contamination, Ground, August 2011 (http://commonground- .ca/2012/08/ ecocide-crime-against-peace/). pollution and toxic or radioactive waste. 16 “New Zealand’s Whanganui River Gets Person- We, the New Group of World Servers, have hood Status,” Environmental News Service, 13 the responsibility to channel and direct the en- September 2012 (http://ensnewswire.com/20- ergy of the Will-to-Good so that all living enti- 12/09/13/new-zealands-whanganui-river-gets- ties experience that sense of being appreciated personhood-status/). 17 Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle, 68. and respected. 18 See the World Declaration on Great Primates at http://www.greatapeproject.org/enUS/- oprojetogap/Declaracao/declaracao-mundial- 1 dos-grandes-primatas. Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I (New 19 York, NY: Lucis Publishing, 1936), 149. Swiss Federal Ethics Committee for Non- 2 Alice A. Bailey, Treatise on White Magic (New Human Biotechnology, The Dignity of Ani- York, NY: Lucis Publishing, 1934), 360. mals, February 2001 (http://www.ekah.admin.- 3 Esoteric Psychology I, 267. ch/fileadmin/ekahdateien/dokumentation/publi- kationen/EKAH_Wuerde_des_Tieres_0.08_-

e_EV3.pdf). Leo Hickman, “The Lawyer Who gence Lab,” The New Yorker, 30 October 2007; Defends Animals,” The Guardian, 05 March Florianne Koechlin, “The Dignity of Plants,” 2010. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/-world/20- Plant Signaling & Behavior, January 2009, 10/mar/05/lawyer-who-defends-animals); “Life 4(1):78-79; Jane Christmas, “Plants Recognize Looks Up for Swiss Animals,” 23 April 2008, Their Siblings, Biologists Discover,” Daily Swissinfo.ch, http://www.swiss-info.ch/eng- News (http://daily news.mcmasters.ca/article-/ /Home/Archive/Life_looks_up_for-_Swiss- plants-recognize-their-siblings-biologists- _animals. html?cid=6608378). discover/). 20 See the Declaration of the Rights of Cetaceans: 26 Swiss Federal Ethics Committee for Non- Whales and Dolphins, agreed in Helsinki on 22 Human Biotechnology, The Dignity of Living May 2010 (http://www.cetaceanrights.org). Beings with Regard to Plants. 21 See Frans De Waal, “The Brains of the Animal 27 Esoteric Psychology I, 228. Kingdom,” The Wall Street Journal, 22 March 28 Ibid, 224. 2013; Christine Dell’Amore, “Black Bears Can 29 Ibid, 229-230. ‘Count’ as Well as Primates,” National Geo- 30 Ibid, 217-218. graphic Daily News, 29 August 2012 31 Mari Margil and Ben Price, “Pittsburgh Bans (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/201 Natural Gas Drilling,” Yes! Magazine, 16 No- 2/08/120829-black-bears-cognition-animals- vember 2010 (http://www.yesmagazine.- science/). org/people-power/-pittsburgh-bans-natural-gas- 22 Esoteric Psychology I, 241. drilling); Amy Goodman with Denis Moyni- 23 Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle, 79. han, “Get the Frack Out of Our Water: Shale- 24 Esoteric Psychology I, 217. Shocked Citizens Fight Back,” Democracy 25 Swiss Federal Ethics Committee for Non- Now! 20 September 2012 (http://www.- Human Biotechnology, The Dignity of Living democracynow-.org/blog/2012/9/20/shale_sho- Beings with Regard to Plants: Moral Consid- cked_citizens_fight_back). eration of Plants for Their Own Sake, April 32 Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Healing (New York: 2008. (http://www.ekah.admin.ch/en/docu- Lucis Publishing, 1953), 667. mentation/publications/index.html); Carol Kae- 33 Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, suk Yoon, “Loyal to Its Roots,” The New York II (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing, 1955), Times, 10 June 2008; research at the Interna- 327. tional Laboratory of Plant Neurobiology 34 Alice A. Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hi- (LINV) in Italy; Nicole Martinelli, “Smarty erarchy (New York, NY: Lucis Publishing, Plants: Inside the World’s Only Plant Intelli- 1957), 280.

Book Review

Take Your Time: the Wisdom of Slowing Down, way to accomplish a lot was to slow down the by Eknath Easwaran. Nilgiri Press, 2012. Pa- mind, to do one thing at a time while giving it perback, 216 pages. List price US $12.95. our full attention and doing it to the best of our ability. He assures us that with a calm and fo- f ever there was a book for our times, this is it. cused mind, we not only accomplish more, but Who is not suffering from the stress of having I we do a better job. too little time and too much to do? Who is not finding it difficult to live in the mindful present Easwaran points out that a mind that is constant- due to preoccupations with the past and worries ly pursuing what it likes and trying to avoid about the future? what it dislikes can never be at rest. So as we slow down and become mindful, we become In the forward to the second edition of this book, more detached from likes and dislikes. He says the author’s wife reveals that Eknath Easwaran, that food is a good barometer of our state of the founder of the Blue Mountain Center of mind: when the mind is under control we want Meditation, was truly able to live completely in food that is good. When we speed up, we eat the present. Based on his life experiences, he be- junk. A slowed-down mind looks for nourishing lieved that the ability to live in the moment was food for each of the five senses. a mental skill that could be learned, and he took Mahatma Gandhi as his model of an unhurried Some of the techniques he gives for slowing life, a man who clearly showed how it was pos- down are to get up earlier and start the day with sible to face pressure without losing peace of a calm, unhurried pace, thus setting the tone for mind. the day. Next, establish priorities and don’t try to do too much in one day. Easwaran observes Easwaran moved to the United States from India that a truly creative mind has a long attention in the 1960s, and began witnessing the seeds of span, so we should try to read slowly and not hurry being sown in the American way of life. consume books and periodicals like junk food. Then in the 1970s, he saw the first signs of the He also advises that we take time for relation- adverse health effects of this hurried lifestyle in ships and meditation, and cultivate patience in an increase of heart disease and Type A behav- all of life’s circumstances. Everything becomes ior. This tendency to hurry and multitask has on- possible if we learn to slow down the mind, ac- ly been exacerbated in subsequent years by the cording to the author. Easwaran says that the proliferation of cell phones, smart phones and mind is the key to everything, and in this regard computers. he shares a quote from Meher Baba: “A fast According to Easwarn, in our modern life we mind is sick, a slow mind is sound, a still mind don’t take enough time for human companion- is divine.” ship. We depend too much on electronic forms The most practical tool for slowing the mind, of communication with others, which is not the according to Easwaran’s experience, is using a sort of full attention and quality time that he says particular mantra at various times during the day. is ideal. The essentials of life are compassion, Besides putting a brake on runaway thoughts, a kindness, goodwill and forgiveness; they are mantra also detaches the mind from problems fundamental to living as true human beings. So and fills the consciousness with a higher we are enjoined to make an effort every day to thoughtform. be fully present to the other people in our lives, to see people as people and not objects. Another tool recommended for mastering the thinking process is meditation. Since we are In this book, Easwaran makes use of his life ex- what we think, Easwaran says, we become what perience to show us how we can ease off this we meditate on. Seed thoughts dive deep into killing pace. In his opinion, the most effective Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2013. 91

The Esoteric Quarterly

our consciousness through repetition and, gradu- He suggests inserting a mantra between angry ally, the ideals expressed in these seed thoughts thoughts as a tool to apply the brakes and slow become part of our character and conduct. the mind down. In between the emotional/physical urge to flee or fight, he assures us Easwaran frequently uses the world of cars and that there is an opportunity to choose calm com- highways as analogies for the mind and thought passion. process. In one such analogy he says that the speed bumps of life can’t be managed safely at In an appendix to this edition of the book, we are 70 miles per hour; we have to slow down to given Easwaran’s Eight-Point Program for slow- avoid injury. ing the mind, as well as instructions on how to meditate, and how to use a mantra. As we learn to slow our thinking process, Easwaran claims that we will be able to see the Easwaran assures us that by using these tools we mind and its thoughts with detachment and learn will be able to see life as more connected and to adjust the speed of the mind just as we adjust experience the life-changing properties of a the speed of a car. So when anger rises and be- heart at peace. In addition, he says that we will gins to rev up the mind, we can put on the want to use our new resources—those of practi- brakes and slow it down, thereby turning anger cal wisdom, passionate love and untiring ener- into compassion. If we observe the mind when it gy—for the benefit of all. isn’t speeding, Easwaran affirms that we will observe an interval between thoughts — a mo- Gail Jolley ment of “no mind.” Learning to extend that in- Asheville, North Carolina terval is the secret of an unhurried mind, he says.