The Ritual
Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram
Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram
1st Enochian Key
Ritual Israfel
<reception>
Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram
Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram
The vision
There is a temple filled with light form a lamp held by the Deity. The light shines out brighter than a million suns. This light will be seen upon the earth, manifested through every conceivable medium.
The voice
The Light is one, its colors many; each color contains an entire palette.
The Word is one, its expression manifold; each in its own tongue and subtleties of speech and grammar.
There is but one Temple eternal from which the Light shines forth, though it arises as many within the cycles of time.
The Word is fragmented in the world, the Light is reflected and scattered. Each fragment contains the whole, though it may be approached from but a single aspect.
Wisdom speaks in a common tongue, but is received by each in their own tongue.
The commentary
The confusion of tongues is not a punishment, a hindrance or an obstacle; rather, it's a necessary aspect of the manifestation of the perfect in the imperfect. Every man and woman is a star. If we all spoke the same language (or if any of us did), this could not be so.
We build a structure designed to help us understand what lies beyond us (the Tower of Babel), and Wisdom rewards us by revealing the Divine within. In the process, the Tower is destroyed. Why not? It's served its purpose and is no longer needed.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Three Stages of Union
In Mysterium Conjunctionis (in section VI, 'The Conjunction'), Jung, drawing upon the work of Gerhard Dorn, identifies 3 stages of spiritual union. Below is an elucidation of the 3 stages in the language of Hermetic Qabalah.
I. Unio Mentalis: Separation of the soul from the body and the union of the soul with the spirit.
The language of Qabalah gives us something more substantial than such ambiguous terms as 'spirit' and 'soul'. In this case, the soul refers to the Nephesh and the spirit refers to the Neschsmah.
In the early stages of the work, the elemental essences are all bound up within the Nephesch. They exist there in an impure state (meaning, mixed and confused) and they are, at best, semi-conscious. The first stage of the work is the separation, purification and elevation of these elemental essences.
Once the elemental essences have been separated (ie: made fully conscious, mastered) and sufficiently elevated (ie: raised in vibration, empowered and exalted) they can then be bound by the quintessence, spirit or LVX. It is this binding, this interpenetration by the light of higher consciousness which cannot occur until the essences have been separated and exalted to a sufficient degree, that allows for the Unio Mentalis. The elemental nature is drawn up by this process into the subtle and rarefied regions of the spirit (the Neschamah). This process leads to a confrontation with the shadow, or the parts of the persona that have been rejected. This is classically described as a death experience, which is how it is typically experienced. The boundary between 'I am this' and 'I am not that' dissolves on the level of the persona, and a period of loss and confusion precedes the creation of a much stronger basis for the ego.
This process allows for the stabilization of the knowledge and experience of the trans-personal, identification with that which stands above the personal self, and which partakes of a more universal nature. This is the basis for the true body of light. It is this 'body' that can withstand the dispersive currents of the higher planes, and with which higher states of consciousness may be experienced.
This stage corresponds with the rending of the Veil of the Firmament, giving entry to the higher parts of the Qabalistic World of Yetzirah. The sky itself opens up and allows the upper regions of the psyche to be known and experienced.
II. Unio Corporalis: Re-Union of the Soul/Spirit with the Body.
As the relationship with the Self or God-Image (the individual conception of Divinity at the highest level currently imaginable) reaches a sufficient level of intimacy, and the body of light has been sufficiently developed, the re-union of the elemental nature (now purified and transformed utterly by the spirit) with the body becomes possible.
The marriage of the Divine Self (at a level which knows no distinction between the individual and the universal) with the body or the Nephesch (which remains behind after the Unio Mentalis) leads to a complete transformation of the physical vehicle. Past traumas, unconscious memories and stored tensions are released, one after the other over a period of time, until the body is made into a sufficient vehicle for the higher life, a true temple of the Rose Cross.
As the Unio Corporalis deepens, and the mystical marriage is undergone again and again, the Divine becomes known even on the physical level. The experience of this union is that of dissolution into the God-head, annihilation of the separate sense of self, Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. It is an experience of great intimacy, partaking as it does of both the physical and Divine natures. Through this process, the body becomes a permanent temple for the Divine Presence, bringing together the higher and lower worlds. One of the many results of this process is an absolute knowing, far beyond the intellectual, of the purpose of one's existence.
This stage corresponds with the rending of the Veil of Paroketh, giving access to the Qabalistic World of Briah. Beyond this veil lies the holy secret place.
III. Unio Mystica. Union of the Soul/Spirit/Body with the Unus Mundus.
This is the final stage of union, in which all identification with one's individual, separate existence is released. The Unio Corporalis unveils the essential unity of the self with the whole of creation, but one is still on the side of the self, still experiencing the world through the perception of separate existence (though one can momentarily let go of that perception). The Unio Mystica removes the basis for the perception of separate existence. One can still perceive the separate self, but from the universal side. It is clear, on a moment by moment basis, that there is no true separate self, that the perception of the ego is but a trick of the light, having no true basis.
This stage corresponds to the rending of the Veil of the Abyss, giving access to the Qabalistic World of Atziluth.
I. Unio Mentalis: Separation of the soul from the body and the union of the soul with the spirit.
The language of Qabalah gives us something more substantial than such ambiguous terms as 'spirit' and 'soul'. In this case, the soul refers to the Nephesh and the spirit refers to the Neschsmah.
In the early stages of the work, the elemental essences are all bound up within the Nephesch. They exist there in an impure state (meaning, mixed and confused) and they are, at best, semi-conscious. The first stage of the work is the separation, purification and elevation of these elemental essences.
Once the elemental essences have been separated (ie: made fully conscious, mastered) and sufficiently elevated (ie: raised in vibration, empowered and exalted) they can then be bound by the quintessence, spirit or LVX. It is this binding, this interpenetration by the light of higher consciousness which cannot occur until the essences have been separated and exalted to a sufficient degree, that allows for the Unio Mentalis. The elemental nature is drawn up by this process into the subtle and rarefied regions of the spirit (the Neschamah). This process leads to a confrontation with the shadow, or the parts of the persona that have been rejected. This is classically described as a death experience, which is how it is typically experienced. The boundary between 'I am this' and 'I am not that' dissolves on the level of the persona, and a period of loss and confusion precedes the creation of a much stronger basis for the ego.
This process allows for the stabilization of the knowledge and experience of the trans-personal, identification with that which stands above the personal self, and which partakes of a more universal nature. This is the basis for the true body of light. It is this 'body' that can withstand the dispersive currents of the higher planes, and with which higher states of consciousness may be experienced.
This stage corresponds with the rending of the Veil of the Firmament, giving entry to the higher parts of the Qabalistic World of Yetzirah. The sky itself opens up and allows the upper regions of the psyche to be known and experienced.
II. Unio Corporalis: Re-Union of the Soul/Spirit with the Body.
As the relationship with the Self or God-Image (the individual conception of Divinity at the highest level currently imaginable) reaches a sufficient level of intimacy, and the body of light has been sufficiently developed, the re-union of the elemental nature (now purified and transformed utterly by the spirit) with the body becomes possible.
The marriage of the Divine Self (at a level which knows no distinction between the individual and the universal) with the body or the Nephesch (which remains behind after the Unio Mentalis) leads to a complete transformation of the physical vehicle. Past traumas, unconscious memories and stored tensions are released, one after the other over a period of time, until the body is made into a sufficient vehicle for the higher life, a true temple of the Rose Cross.
As the Unio Corporalis deepens, and the mystical marriage is undergone again and again, the Divine becomes known even on the physical level. The experience of this union is that of dissolution into the God-head, annihilation of the separate sense of self, Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. It is an experience of great intimacy, partaking as it does of both the physical and Divine natures. Through this process, the body becomes a permanent temple for the Divine Presence, bringing together the higher and lower worlds. One of the many results of this process is an absolute knowing, far beyond the intellectual, of the purpose of one's existence.
This stage corresponds with the rending of the Veil of Paroketh, giving access to the Qabalistic World of Briah. Beyond this veil lies the holy secret place.
III. Unio Mystica. Union of the Soul/Spirit/Body with the Unus Mundus.
This is the final stage of union, in which all identification with one's individual, separate existence is released. The Unio Corporalis unveils the essential unity of the self with the whole of creation, but one is still on the side of the self, still experiencing the world through the perception of separate existence (though one can momentarily let go of that perception). The Unio Mystica removes the basis for the perception of separate existence. One can still perceive the separate self, but from the universal side. It is clear, on a moment by moment basis, that there is no true separate self, that the perception of the ego is but a trick of the light, having no true basis.
This stage corresponds to the rending of the Veil of the Abyss, giving access to the Qabalistic World of Atziluth.
Dream of the Temple at the End of Time
I'm on an airplane which is definitely going to crash. I walk up and down the aisles as the plane goes down. I awake into another dream, in which I share a room with a man who has been having the same airplane dream as me. We've been dreaming the same thing every night for weeks. We wake up every morning and compare notes. Each night, we're able to see a little bit more of the plane.
We eventually realize that we can appear in each other's dreams, that we're both passengers on the same plane (in more ways than one). It becomes our goal to work together to find out what's going on. We quickly realize that every stage in the historical development of humanity is represented by the other passengers in the plane. We see men and women from our own time, 60s mods, gangsters from the 40s, Japanese imperialists, pirates, Mongols, ancient Greeks and Egyptians, Sumerians, all the way back to cave people. The futher back the era, the further towards the back of the plane the passengers representing that era sit.
At length, it dawns upon us to break into the cabin and take control of the plane ourselves. Again and again we do this - we find that we can change the course of the plane, but we can never prevent the inevitable crash. After a number of attempts, we realize that we're being guided to a particular place. By steering the plane in such a way as to prolong flight for the longest possible time, we end up flying past an ancient temple on a hill overlooking what could be an ocean or perhaps the sky itself.
The temple is covered, but the walls are open. Night after night, we bring the airplane closer and closer to the temple, trying to get a glimpse of what's inside. At length, we come close enough to observe a priest stepping out into the courtyard of the temple. The priest looks our way, and from the cockpit window I recognize him as myself. I understand in a flash that I and my fellow dreamer are one, and that we are both the priest in the temple. All times are one time, and all things are one thing, and there is no separation between myself and the whole of the cosmos.
We eventually realize that we can appear in each other's dreams, that we're both passengers on the same plane (in more ways than one). It becomes our goal to work together to find out what's going on. We quickly realize that every stage in the historical development of humanity is represented by the other passengers in the plane. We see men and women from our own time, 60s mods, gangsters from the 40s, Japanese imperialists, pirates, Mongols, ancient Greeks and Egyptians, Sumerians, all the way back to cave people. The futher back the era, the further towards the back of the plane the passengers representing that era sit.
At length, it dawns upon us to break into the cabin and take control of the plane ourselves. Again and again we do this - we find that we can change the course of the plane, but we can never prevent the inevitable crash. After a number of attempts, we realize that we're being guided to a particular place. By steering the plane in such a way as to prolong flight for the longest possible time, we end up flying past an ancient temple on a hill overlooking what could be an ocean or perhaps the sky itself.
The temple is covered, but the walls are open. Night after night, we bring the airplane closer and closer to the temple, trying to get a glimpse of what's inside. At length, we come close enough to observe a priest stepping out into the courtyard of the temple. The priest looks our way, and from the cockpit window I recognize him as myself. I understand in a flash that I and my fellow dreamer are one, and that we are both the priest in the temple. All times are one time, and all things are one thing, and there is no separation between myself and the whole of the cosmos.
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