Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

An Essay on


© 2008 by Academic Services International, Los Lunas, NM, USA

.

Definitions - Continued

Karma is the Law of Cause and Effect. When a person gets off-balanced due to thoughts, words, and deeds, their causal "bank account" is debited. When a person redresses off-balanced thoughts, words, and deeds, their causal "bank account" is credited. The Soul is like an individual's bank book, and the Akashic Records are like the bank's records of everyone's accounts, including the history of the bank itself.

 

Sympathetic Magic implies a certain "sympathy" or causative connection between a ritual (and its instruments) and a condition in the outer world. Actions portrayed in the rite are meant to have a similar effect on the external situation.

 

Natural Opposition is the inertial force that tends to counteract the effects of sympathetic magic. Magic is change, but everything is in its place and wants to stay that way. Opposition can begin in the early stages of preparation for a ritual, will often attempt to provide distractions during the rite itself, and may interfere with the resulting energies engendered by the ceremony. The absence of opposition merely confirms that you are proceeding directly in harmony with divine will.

 

The Ego is a many-sided designation. The Transhimalayan system defines the Ego as the Soul itself (the "reincarnating ego"). Modern psychologists use it as a definition of self-awareness. Common usage says it's a self-centered (selfish or self-important) person. And the school of the eight neuro-circuits attributes its meaning to the second circuit of territorial dominance.

In this Essay, ego is used to denote the sense of individual self-awareness, the designation of the separate, important person - as opposed to the adept of universal consciousness.

 

Sacrifice - It should be recognized that the ego is what is sacrificed unto the Higher Self upon the magical altar. Incense is also a form of sacrifice. The ancient sacrifice of animals (or other humans) may be effective in generating vital energy, but it is repugnant to the white magician.

 

The Super-Ego is a psychological term that refers to the moral part of the mind. which is an assembly of parental and societal values. It stores and enforces external rules.

Magically speaking (and this departs from the psychological definition), the Super-Ego is an extension of the self-centered ego. In our efforts to become worthwhile, famous, or meaningful, we tend to identify with someone or something that is greater than our insignificant selves. Examples include sporting teams, rock stars, churches, illumined beings and magical Orders. Of course, we actually remain insignificant, but through our identification, our ego is inflated. "I am a fan of The Rolling Stones, therefore I am important." ...or... "My religion is more correct than yours! Let's start a war over it!"

T-shirts embossed with pictures of "my heroes" proclaim my superiority. Esoteric jewelry prominently displayed shows forth "my spirituality" and "my exceptional choice in metaphysical affiliation." I am a member of the Guru Ramababa sect, and as such I am enlightened (and, of course, better than you). All this nonsense is an expression of the fourth physiological socio-sexual neurocircuit, and as such it is nothing more than subliminal programming that acts as a barrier to the further development of higher consciousness.

On the surface, the psychological definition and the magical explanation appear to widely differ. But if you were to ponder each one separately, then compare them, you might find that they are the same thing. Oh Lord, preserve us from the Super-ego.

 

The Matrix is the external world. Illusionary in nature, it is a three-dimensional, holographic projection radiated from the interior of a living being. He or she looks out and says, "It is solid, it is real!" But it is not - otherwise magicians would not be able to influence it.

The awareness of the illusionary constitution of external "reality" is a hallmark of the advanced magician. Escape from the Matrix is discussed at the following website:

< Link to This is Your Escape from the Matrix

 

Shamanism defines the characters and practices of "primitive" wizards. In ancient tribal structures there were (are) three officers: The Chief, the Medicine Man, and the Shaman. The Chief is the political leader, the Medicine Man is the doctor, and the Shaman is the (spiritual) priest. Today, the Medicine Man and the Shaman are often confused and refer to the same officer - but this was not always so, and the two titles represent quite different functions.

The term "Shaman" originally came from Siberia, but it is now applied to the spiritual magician or medicine-man of any tribe, anywhere in the world. Some white people, most of whom are basically deluded and who belong to no ancient tribe whatsoever, nor have they received formal training from such tribes, designate themselves as Shamans because they have taken a few classes on the subject and wish to impress their clients and friends.

In reality, many Shamans (the real, indigenous variety) are dangerous. Almost all of them use their arts on behalf of their clients (who pay a fee) for the most petty reasons - to cast spells on difficult neighbors, to acquire wealth, to seduce attractive companions, and (especially) to break spells conjured by other Shamans. These guys are constantly trying to steal each other's power, are engaged in endless, ongoing competition, and remind us of similar tactics used by priests, ministers, scientists, educators, businessmen and politicians everywhere.

However, they do seem to have a certain amount of unusual power. Voodoo priests, Amazonian Shamans and African witch-doctors (to name but a few examples) routinely heal patients and cast wicked (if not deadly) spells, the effects of which are poo-pooed by modern medical doctors and "rational" scientists.

Yet, the evidence remains. It seems that we, in our "advanced" civilization, have developed reason, intellect and rational thinking to a high point indeed. But, in our evolutionary development, we have left something behind - something that is still possessed by the "primitive" mind. We might call it instinct or perhaps natural thinking.

There are, of course, advanced Shamans who epitomize the natural healer. Using their developed abilities, they enter the "other world" on behalf of their clients and seek the true cause of disease and psychological disorders, and assist their clients to develop their own spiritual awareness. In this regard they are to be respected, for they are no different then a teacher of White Magic.

 

Meditation is commonly described as a practice for relaxation. But that is merely superficial, for the term actually comes from the same root as mediation or the "bringing together" of opposing parties in a dispute. In our case, it is the bringing together of the higher self and the lower self.

One ancient example of Meditation is Raja Yoga. This art has eight branches, including Morals ("doing good"), Restraint ("thou shalt not..."), Asana ("control of posture"), Pranayama ("control of energy-breath"), Pratyahara ("introspection"), Dharana ("mental concentration"), Dhyana ("meditation" - the result), and Samadhi (an "expanded" result).

For the magician, the purpose of performing these mystical routines is simply that he or she is not going to get very far in Magic if the internal controls are not developed. Thus a well-rounded magician will move forward on two fronts by engaging in both mystical (internal) and magical (external) practices.

See also: Mysteries of Mysticism on this website

 

The Great Work describes the walking of the spiritual path. It does not mean Magic or Meditation or Initiation or Ritual, but it includes these (and all similar) terms. The Great Work is the sum total of all the efforts expended by a spiritual aspirant in his or her journey from "normal" human consciousness to full spiritual attainment, plus all efforts employed in furthering the cause of evolutionary advancement after having reached his or her personal goal.

 

The Path refers to The Path of Initiation. There actually is no Path, for if there was, then the process would be much easier. There are guideposts and waymarkers, and sometimes the way is smooth and somewhat familiar.

But at other times, the bewildered aspirant finds that everything is engulfed in total confusion

- these are periods when the path disappears, bridges are broken, and individual seekers must expose their own illusions and find their own "Path."

Another definition of the Path is that it is an actual pathway of Light that leads from the heart chakra to the crown chakra. It is built through meditation. It has been called The Lighted Way, and the Tibetans call it the Antakharana.

 

Guru is a Hindu term for a spiritual teacher. It actually means "Light and Dark." Other designations include Swami, Teacher, Master, etc.

Most Gurus demand absolute obedience from their Chelas (students). It is (rightly) assumed that a student is trying to contact his or her own higher self, but is unable to make that connection. Thus, the Guru (being enlightened in all matters) takes on the role of the student's higher self and issues instructions and commands that are designed to guide the aspirant along his or her path.

Absolute obedience is required because the student is being trained to eventually accept messages from his or her own Solar Angel, or from the Secret Chiefs, and these must be accepted without question.

But, the human mind loves to argue and question authority, even if the authority is their own higher nature. So a Guru gets a lot of resistance and argument from students.

In India, and among sterner teachers everywhere, the disobedience of orders may well result in the banishment of the student. The famous Oriental statement is, "You may no longer consider yourself to be my student!"

So the student might as well go along the program and give up all self-determination in the earlier stages. But then, there does come the time when the Chela needs to be "graduated." After following the Guru's orders (often for many years), and after having made his or her own internal, spiritual connection, the aspirant must be allowed to sort things out alone. It has been said that The adept of the Inner Order needs little or no assistance from his superiors.

Thus a hallmark of a true, enlightened Guru is that he or she is willing to allow a student to graduate - when the time is right. However, some teachers will assume the role of a Guru even though they are not enlightened. These fakers will then refuse to allow their students to find their own way, even when it is obvious that they are ready. This tendency to "hold on" to advanced students is a dilemma faced by parents, teachers and Gurus in all times and ages.

In 1969, Guru Capricornus was faced with a problem. Her internal message was, "The gates of initiation are closed! Send everyone away!" Her response was, "I will never send anyone away!" Her "hanging on" attitude resulted in no "graduations," but her Order then experienced a period marked by ongoing disasters accompanied by repeated confrontations with the Establishment and displays of severe internal strife wherein most students left of their own accord.

In 1976, Teacher Muriel "Isis" Dorner was faced with a dilemma. Her internal message was, "Send everyone away that has been your student for over one year!" Her response (and it was heard by a nearby student) was to cry out, "No! No! It's not fair!" But three days later, she met with each person who had been her student for more than a year and she graciously said, "Now you have to do it by yourself." Her "graduations" resulted in no hard feelings and many students went on to become adept in their own Light.

.

.

.