OUR DAILY BREAD – a blog for esoteric living
For those who see life as a Mystical AdventureArchive for September, 2009
Daily Meditation Focus 18SEP2009
The Role of Thought – “Thinking for Yourself”
I have no idea how many times I’ve heard that saying, “Think for Yourself”. We all have. It actually wasn’t until much later in life, that I began to understand that adage.
Just this morning, I got a call from a good friend of mine in California. He wanted some advice on handling a somewhat political issue, as a result of dealing with some interesting people problems. We spoke for a while and it became clear that the issues he was discussing are all too common in business and corporations, even families and churches, any assembled group of humans really. When the normal daily routine is disturbed for a continuing amount of time, people will create drama, they will go to the point of actually creating conflict where there is none (in some cases, people do this when everything is fine as well). Rumor get manufactured, cliques get established and mob mentality settles in. At this point, people are not thinking for themselves.
We go through life, dependent on others for information. We have limited senses and our bodies can not function very well in modern society without guidance. When we are very young, we are quite literally dependent on those around us for everything. As we get older, we learn to do things for ourselves, but amazingly, many continue to rely on others for thought. I am astonished by the volume of quotes, rehashed newspaper or television commentary I hear daily by those around me. In many cases, the people regurgitating the information to me think they have the thought that they are conveying to me, even though I know, it came from someone else.
There are certain truths on this plane which need to be experienced to be thoroughly understood. They are important ones too, and in order to get to the point where one starts to become aware of them , it is necessary for one to think for themself. Jed McKenna has a great quote which is very apropos here: “Think for yourself and figure out what’s true. That’s it. Ask yourself what’s true, until you know”.
The esoteric orders, the Mystery Schools, to some point, even some of the mainstream religions, have at their core, great teachings which help one to move forward with tools and knowledge to allow themselves to functionally think for themselves. This is about our own journey, our personal adventure here and now. When we take someone else’s adventure and internalize it and try to make it our own, we experience conflict, we get the schizophrenic state that so many succumb to in this age. Our own stories are what are important and our own experience is what we learn from best.
By accepting another persons truth we limit our selves. By accepting dogmatic teachings and authoritative notions from government, or religion, a boss, a person of status or someone you admire, you degrade our own worth and devalue the experiences in your life. Be yourself and think for yourself and the world will reward you with riches and wonder and you will experience an amazing life. I usually end these with some text in blue and a thought for the day.. today, I’d just like you to think..for yourself. =)
Your experience is the truth.
Daily Meditation Focus 17SEP2009
Balance and Harmony
We live in a world of excess and increasing demand for our personal resources. There is no doubt that our present cultural environment in the West gives rise to illness, neurological disorders and emotional strife.
Many seek to find solace and well being through the collecting of material possessions, a partner in a relationship, a pet or job title, but these additions to ones external life neither balance, nor give lasting results within. Our well-being and inner peace are not determined by exterior forces..we know this by now (man, I hope so). While there are many aspects to inner peace and a healthy life, we will focus on a few simple aspects in this short piece today.
Sometimes the smallest actions can bring about large gains in ones life, if a person just stops to think. Getting proper rest once in a while, or eating a balanced diet can have significant results in a short period of time. If we move to bring the needs of the body into balance, the reflection in the mind will be impacting. I know..the body exists in the mind, but not everyone has expanded to the point of “knowing” that, and until they do, there is no need to make the journey more difficult for oneself.
Taking time to breathe properly or spending time outside in a natural environment will provide great benefit to the mind and the body. As one begins to see the connection between body and mind, the concept of “harmony” becomes internalized and understood. Balance and Harmony are key principles in Universal laws..the underlying stuff of the world around us.. the operation of the physical world. Not surprisingly, they are key principles in the operation of ourselves too. I find that more times than not, others will take notice when someone around them breaks from the norm and internalizes some aspect of their life that brings balance or harmony to them in some way. We see the value intuitively, even though we may not be following the principle ourselves. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, what is the relationship of balance and harmony to meditation and how do we assist others with these principles of life?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Book Review – The Meaning of Masonry
The Meaning of Masonry – W.L. Wilmshurst
My father gave me this book as a gift right before I got my First Degree in the Blue Lodge. The author does a very good job of covering some of the deeper aspects of the Craft within Freemasonry as well as very good commentary on some of the historical background of the degrees and Rites.
The real value in this piece, is the abstraction of the Degree initiations and their respective symbolism and philosophy. While there are many, many books on masonic symbolism (see series on Symbol), this book does a very good job of tying the core Blue Lodge journey together with the articles and symbols (example: a very good section on the Apron) associated with each degree through the Royal Arch. The author’s writing style is very natural and flowing and a sense of quiet reverence and respect is felt when reading it. There is mention and commentary on the further degrees and Rites as well as a refreshing dive into the mystical heritage (Mystery Schools) and alchemical tenets of the Order.
While the original publishing is relatively dated ( 1927; my copy is a 1980 revised edition), the content is no less applicable today as it was then. In many cases, the tempo and subject matter are better suited than most of the more recent published works, for the newest generation of Brethren joining for esoteric reasons, rather than purely fraternal or political ones. As I mentioned earlier, this book does have sentimental value to me ( my father and many family members are active in Freemasonry, Eastern Star etc ), but I genuinely see this work as a solid addition to any personal Masonic library… Knife and Fork Masons included
- Amazon
Daily Meditation Focus 16SEP2009
Unity and Separation
We all have our relationships in life that play out in various ways. Our bankers handle our funds, dentists clean and repair our teeth, family members and friends support our well being etc. In the western world we live in a mode of separation.. church and state, employer and employee, science and spirituality. As the scientific method and industry evolved into what they are today, the notions of compartmentalization and reductionism began to infiltrate our way of thought. In a sense, these divisionary concepts are our models of how we view the world around us, when the fundamental truth is quite opposite.
While our social structure has been hierarchical for some time, our mode of thought has not. When we see ourselves as separate from everything and everyone around us, we limit ourselves greatly and perpetuate a constant internal state of conflict. Although there are times when we want to reach out, to express ourselves and really connect with others, we often times don’t because of these constructed divisions. We create excuses (illusions)…that person is too ______ or I am not _______ enough. Where exactly do you think these thoughts are coming from?
As one begins to see the similarities, the patterns, principles and universal laws that exist in the world around us, it starts to become clear that everything is related. Shared existence is intrinsic to the entire fabric of reality..not separation. As Above, so Below.. or as Within, so Without. Things in the world are not separate.. we perceive them to be, so it appears to us as that they are. This is a very simple concept yet is causes a life of anguish and suffering for so very many people. Separation is the child of ego and while you and I seem worlds apart, we are not. We are limited and separated by our egos, not by our true selves. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, what is the relationship of unity to meditation and how do we overcome separation at all levels?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, what roles do the standing temples and pyramids, left by the ancients, play in our present day Mystery Schools and what lessons are to be learned from them?Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Daily Meditation Focus 15SEP2009
Temples and Pyramids 
Throughout the world, remnants and ruins of previous cultures and epochs have become destinations for travelers and sight-seerers since they were constructed. In modern times, these architectural structures are seen in more of a historical light and few who gaze upon these temples and structures see the care or thought, the underlying meaning or teaching left by that earlier man. They see instead, a photo-op or a physical representation of a picture they have kept in their head. People move about these living monuments, waiting for the tour to be over, so they can buy a shirt or book and then stop off at some welcoming establishment for their next Mai-Tai or beer.
Going back to a piece I wrote in this blog a few days ago, I referenced a trip to Washington D.C., taken by a Freemason (Symbol – Part III). In that experience, the prepared Mason can see the wondrous imagery in his mind, brought to life by the symbols carved, graved and sculpted by other Masons from the past. Even though it may be decades, centuries or even millennia later, the message is clear to those who can see.
The Great Pyramid stands now as it has stood for thousands of years. People visit it, climb it and photograph it without giving much thought to the work except how it was built. In the Egyptian Book of the Dead (Book of the Coming Forth of Day; Book of What is in the Duat), the Great Pyramid was known as the Temple of Amun/Amen which means the Secret House of the Hidden One. The word Pyramid comes from the Greek “pyra”, meaning Fire or Light and “midos”, meaning Measure…purimmiddoh, or “Light-Measures” (Fire in the Middle). The length of each side of the Great Pyramid is 9,131 Pyramid inches or Polar inches in length. If you add the sides’ lengths, you get 36,524 Polar Inches. Adding the standard 2/10 of an inch for measurement error, you have 36,524.2, or 100 times the length of each year: 365.242 days. As we look further we find that the height of the Great Pyramid is equal to radius of the circle of solar cycle. The deeper aspect to this geometrical construct, is that in order to properly calculate the verified Pyramid Inch, the Pyramid builders would have had to have known the exact diameter of the Earth. As you can see, there is often more thought put into these ancient works, than is usually seen with the eye.
It may be that time has erased our references to those builders and the messages they left in the great temples and pyramids, or it may be that we, in our present state, may be too absorbed in self, in the material world, to see those things left to us from the past, in spirit and in mind. The notion that previous cultures translate as ‘primitive’ or unenlightened, may be incorrect. The fact may be that the ability to transcend; to comprehend and internalize the outer world, may have not only been present in previous cultures, but that previous epochs of man may have been well beyond the current range of comprehension as we know it now. As Obi-Wan (or maybe George Lucas) said, “Your focus determines your reality’. If one were to focus outwards just a bit and open their minds to new possibilities, instead of relying on what they “know”, they may find reality to be something much different than they knew it to be. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, what roles do the standing temples and pyramids, left by the ancients, play in our present day Mystery Schools and what lessons are to be learned from them?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Reader Contribution – My Yoga Story
Submitted September 14th, 2009 by Brother Jason.
My Yoga Story
I am a partially disabled veteran. I broke my back in a training accident in the Army years ago. Following that, I had pain every day of my life for 10 years. I could not even bend over to brush my teeth. I would have to lean on my elbows on the sink to wash my face. I was not able to bend and pick up things from the floor or weed the garden. At one point, my conditioned worsened to the point where I could no longer sleep well either.
I had tried everything short of surgery (massage, chiropractic, physical therapy, ultra-sound, hot tub, getting super fit, and pain killers) and had yet I still no permanent relief from my pain. Finally, I heard about someone who was able to recover from a back injury using yoga. I enrolled in a “vinny yoga” class for people who had physical limitations. Going in, I was highly skeptical of yoga as it seemed slow, pointless and lame. But I was desperate to try anything at that point.
When I entered the class, I found that I was the only male. The other participants were mostly peri-menopausal women, which added to my reluctance. Initially I found this even more uncomfortable. But the teacher began by teaching us how to use the basic yoga breathing techniques and how to use the yoga Banhdas “locks” to center our energy during the Asanas (poses) and protect ourselves during movement. Once we began breathing, immediately my concerns about the silliness of the class or my situation as the only dude melted away.
The Vinny class I took was gentle and had many modified poses for people who could not get into the classical pretzel forms. This was great for me. After going 2-3 times per week for 2 months, I noticed that I began to have dramatically more freedom of movement and less pain. But I noticed something else too. My life energy was increasing. I began to do things I was unable to do for years. I began gardening like crazy, hard core hiking, rock climbing etc. The other thing that happened was that my world outlook began to shift from the temporal sphere to the spiritual. I also became a much calmer and more relaxed person.
Eventually, I was able to progress from that class and move on to other forms of yoga- ashtanga, flow yoga, forest yoga, anusara, hot yoga, kundalini yoga, etc. At their core, they are very similar. I think the most important part is to find a yogi or yogini (yoga teacher) for whom yoga is their life’s work (so for example not a jazzercise instructor who took a one week training class). There is something special that I cannot explain that can be transmitted by a true yoga master to a student. I think the phrase is “shaktipat” in the Sanskrit.
My yoga practice has waxed and waned over the years, as time and money have allowed. I find that going one time per month to a class and doing just a few minutes per day on my own is enough to keep me pain free.
The physical benefits are very important. However, the real value for me is not the physical, but the emotional and the spiritual benefits. I have experienced deeps states of bliss doing yoga, feelings of oneness with all of creation. When my practice is deepest, I also have very vivid and lucid dreams. On some occasions I have even experienced visions or been given the gift of insights or answers to questions at the moment of sivasana or “corpse pose”—when you lay as a corpse at the end after clearing all your chakras and energy pathways. It also symbolizes the death of the ego. I find that the ego shifts to the back seat during yoga and is most unified with the true self in the Sivasna pose at the end of practices.
I have been taught many lessons through the simple yogic practice of attention the breath and movement—lessons of letting go, of how to flow with things, oneness of all.
Eventually I began to see my whole life as a yoga practice. Physically it has changed my awareness of my body, how I am holding my tension, how I am moving and breathing throughout the day. Emotionally, it has given me the tools to calm and center myself in any situation. I once had a boss yell at me just before a presentation to 50 people. I went to another room and did some breathing for 2 minutes and then went and did a kickass presentation. [He actually apologized afterwards and then asked me how I was able to remain unaffected and calm.]
Spiritually, it has stoked the fires of spiritual learning in me and a thirst for knowledge as well as the commitment to practice loving kindness and continual worship throughout my day to day life.
So here I have this curse of an injured back. It forces me to do yoga at least once per month to stay mobile. But it’s also a major blessing. It has led me to a yoga practice which in turn has led me to my current life path and even freemasonry. Each time I go to a class, it reminds me of who I truly am outside the field of time. After practicing, I always say to myself “why am I not doing this every day?”
It just so happens that I am about to enter a new phase in my yoga life. A yoga studio opened in the same building I worked in. I joined the studio and will now be able to go to as many classes as I like. It’s very convenient and I will have no excuse. I am really looking forward to this next chapter in my yoga journey!
Daily Meditation Focus 14SEP2009
Acceptance
We interact with many people in the course of a day or week and see the many roles and actions associated with those around us.. people working, shopping, playing, crying, praying or just enjoying time on a park bench.
We experience life more fully, not by our actions but through our perceptions of what we are experiencing. I’ve seen the quote: We are not humans doing, we are humans being”. While that may be humorous or simply amusing, there is great truth in it.
We experience suffering when we create conflict between the world out “there” and what we experience internally. We exist here to experience life… from the slightest breeze to the most violent earthquakes. Instead of just accepting the experience we sometimes bring the outside, “inside” and we begin to craft a story about ourselves, which is totally imagined..always. Did you catch that? Apparently not…and that’s the point. Instead of partaking in the moments and allowing the message and wisdom that abounds in every act of nature, to teach and enlighten us, we were busily engrossed in creating our own illusory storyline.
We create an illusion to satisfy the ego even though it does nothing for us. As we invest energy in these illusory connections, these attachments, we diminish our power and create another anchor that will need to be hoisted later. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, how does acceptance relate to compassion and why do our attachments degrade our interpersonal relationships?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Daily Meditation Focus 13SEP2009
Procrastination and Distraction
Today, we will shift gears a bit regarding our focus topic. Many years ago, when I first began actively researching and studying metaphysical and occult texts, I focused on the classic tomes, penned prior to the 20th century. A few of the earliest compendiums added to my later, burgeoning collection were The Grimoire of Pope Honorious, Demonographia, Malleus Maleficarum and De Plancy’s classic, Dictionaire Infernal. A more common foray to the Path, than some may think.
As my private studies and later, more formal instruction, led me to to see parallels between the classic view of demonology and modern psychological theories, I took the next step and become quite interested in the relationships of esoteric allegory to aspects of evolving consciousness. Much more recently, I had a great conversation with my mentor of 20+ years, who mentioned in passing, that he now only identifies two demons: procrastination and distraction. I chuckled and nodded at first and then actually thought about it.
While character flaws, vices and the like plague many people, regardless of spiritual alignment, these two ego-driven aspects of consciousness can prove formidable opponents in any situation, at any step along the path. I speak of this not in terms of simple hinderances in obtaining the awareness of certain fundamental truths regarding the natures of reality and our present consciousness, but also in regards to preparations for Transition. I’ve heard it said several times over the years, that once a person is on the Path, the only obstacle that prevents them completing the Great Work in that lifetime, is themselves. In that respect, these two constructs of ego accomplish their jobs quite well. Anyone reading this text, as published, understands the draw of the Internet and now, people can tweet, blog, shop and amuse themselves with a growing array of digital delicacies that will not likely slow soon.
Since beginning our ongoing adventure within this blog, we have covered a broad range of topics and concepts, and while it is one thing to experience and internalize them during our meditation sessions, it is quite another to maintain a focussed state of mind, depth of consciousness and overall awareness during the rest of our active daily lives. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, what roles do procrastination and distraction play in aiding our progress on the path?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Daily Meditation Focus 12SEP2009
The Role of Silence
– “Silence is Golden”
We’ve all heard the saying: Silence is Golden (Speech is Silver) but not many think about that age old axiom. Meditation has been called the “creation in the silence” by many and references to isolation and the removal of exterior influences abound in the meditation texts for over 4,000 years. While the esoteric references to the subject of gold are too numerous to mention in this brief text, a few dovetail nicely for our needs today. We will look at some additional background information pertaining to some intriguing aspects of a few of these references as well.
The first and most widely referenced allegorical golden symbol is the sun, our provider, nourisher and catalyst for creation on Earth. Its constant energetic action is reflected in the mind’s constant awareness, even in sleep and the seemingly never ending internal chatter of thought. We’ve recently touched upon the symbol of the sun as it relates to the chakra system(See Daily Focus Meditation from 9SEP2009). Although seldom documented, the chakra system is closely tied to the endocrine system. Each chakra corresponds to a gland in the body. NOTE: If there is enough interest, I will explore these
relationships in detail at a future time. Additionally, each gland has an affinity or pairing with a specific noble metal, in this case the pineal gland has correspondence with gold as a physical analogue to the esoteric evolution and perfection of consciousness; both the Philosopher’s Stone of the Middle Ages. As you begin to understand sacred sciences and the unified teaching of Pharaonic Egypt, you will see how our differentiated sciences were once an integrated set of teachings. In short, there are relationships between mathematics, chemistry, music, physics and other disciplines which are not expressed in the modern scientific models for various reasons. Concepts such as shared resonance and harmonic proportion, in this instance there are analogous tendencies in say, the orbitals and vibrational harmonics of the gold atom which correspond to the composition, function, vibrational nature and structure of the pineal gland in a mutually beneficial way. These interactions can effect the spin or state of the gold atoms and conversely, the activity of the pineal gland, which relates to the third eye (see series on Symbol) or mind’s eye (6th chakra); a key component in the meditation act. The fact that the practice of alchemy concerns the transmutation of base elements into gold (see today’s Book Review) is another well known association to this metal that most alive today are aware of. We now have a very basic connection between gold and silence, in the context of meditation and alchemy.
It is in the silence or stillness that one is brought face to face with their own emotions and thoughts. During meditation, we access an inner realm which ceases to exist solely in either physical or non-physical manifest realities, yet shares aspects of both. The union of the above and the below; the higher and lower. I recently heard it said (see Movie Review from today), that the crucifixion scene itself, is a
pointer to the mechanics and mysteries of mediation and the Inner tradition. As the Master teacher’s hands were nailed down, or pinned (we also see a veiled astrotheological reference, as the stasis is in space and time as well; A “fixed-point” neither on earth or in the heavens) we see the pointer to stillness and reckoning with the internal. As one sits with themselves and begins to delve into their own being, their own recesses of consciousness and identity, their emotional constructs of the ego, the mediation process begins.
As we learn to slowly push away the constant inner dialog of the ego and begin to bear witness to our own thoughts as they appear and dissolve, we open the inner dialogue with the higher self and the Alchemical Great Work commences. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, what is the relationship of silence to consciousness and how does silence aid us in our non-meditative states?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Movie Review – Leap!
I watched this movie a few days ago and have had discussions with several friends of mine who have seen it also. This movie is a great compilation of interviews and quotes which build upon each other to create a very good picture of the nature of reality as it relates to those on the path and expanding consciousness. The concept of this world as illusion is very, very old and is a difficult subject to breech in conversation with those unfamiliar with esoteric teachings or initiation.
While many Orders and the Mystery Schools have been preparing minds for this truth for thousands of years (see series on Symbol), the open discussion in a public forum is a relatively new phenomenon. The movie addresses several of the issues that prevent many from accepting this state of consciousness and does a good job of dealing with the paradoxes of this pivotal transition in thought, using general terms and concepts.
This movie is definitely on my holiday gift list for several friends and a few family members. Bravo to the film makers for even attempting to capture this truth on video.
Purchase the Leap! DVD here.
Book Review – In Pursuit of Gold~Alchemy Today in Theory and Practice
In Pursuit of Gold~Alchemy Today in Theory and Practice – Lapidus
I purchased this book several years ago during a period of exhaustive research and obsession with alchemy. This book was a limited printing and has become increasingly rare and is relatively costly to acquire. It contains a great deal of information and includes the classical wisdom from the core contributors, back to Artephius.
The text includes at least 4 complete instruction sets on how to make the stone and does reference the white powder. There is a fine assortment of classic alchemical plates in the center binding as well as modern sequences for completing the work and a useful Q&A section in Appendix I.
I must stress that this book is only useful to those with full grasp of symbolic teachings and esoteric interpretation (see series on Symbol). Those attempting to access this book using traditional western thought or a midrash-esque view of alchemical texts will find this work frustrating.
Chapters 3 (The Secret Book) and 12 (Vade Mecum) may be especially useful to those ensconced in alchemical pursuits. A fine collectors piece.
Video Clip – Bill Hicks~Last Words
I’ve been a fan of Bill Hicks for a long, long time. This is a good tie-in to today’s Meditation focus piece.
“today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed into a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself. subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves. here’s tom with the weather.” – bill hicks
Daily Meditation Focus 11SEP2009
The Role of Human Action
Over the past week we have looked at various aspects and roles related to meditation. Today I’d like to shift our focus slightly to the role of human action as it relates to a participatory society. In ancient Egypt, the culture was driven by a lofty goal which can scarcely be comprehended by the majority of minds alive today, yet they lived with a sense of purpose and their contributions to the culture they took part in were an integral part of who they were. Imagine a culture where everyone understood the cycle of reincarnation, lived without the massive gravity of overfed egos, were comfortable with who and what they were and saw their life as an expression of the divine principles and laws of nature. A Culture where status, money, title and race had nothing to do with a daily grind and quality of life, sharing, laughter and an overwhelming sense of unity was the norm.
The principle of love was discussed in this forum a few days ago and we will touch on that principle again briefly. As we move along this path, most of us will we eventually begin to see the world as it is, as illusion. At some point, we see the overwhelming evidence of this for ourselves and our life
is never the same. It is at that point, that we understand our roles as creators and see the unity of ourselves, our fellow mankind and the Cosmic. As we deal with the people in the Game of Life, our Mystical Adventure, we always have the option to embrace the world around us and through our actions, partake in the many roles and dramas that we become aware of, or we can simple become part of the status-quo and try to forget. To embrace love, or embrace the construct of ego, fear.
It is in our actions, the participation in the human drama, that we see ourselves reflected in others and the world around us. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, how do our actions benefit the Illusion; the world around us and what is the role of love in our experience here on Earth?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Book Review – The Mind as Healer ~ The New Heresy
The Mind as Healer ~ The New Heresy – Onslow Wilson, Ph.D. and contributing Authors
This
book was recommended to me, by my long time mentor and Brother in several of the Orders I belong to. It is a collection of essays, reports and presentations from the First Annual Metaphysics Symposium in 1986.
The event was held at the Egyptian Museum in San Jose, California and marks a pivotal transition in Western culture’s attitude towards a mind-body connection. This piece details early references to the role and influence of the Observer, holistic health models, problems inherent to fragmented and reductionist approaches in health care as well as the myriad inconsistencies in pharmaceutically oriented treatments.
There is supportive research on the role of glands and their effectiveness in self healing when stimulated by mediation (pineal, hypothalamus, pituitary) as well as slew of case studies and documented accounts of spontaneous healing by the practitioners who treated the patients.
This piece is an eye-opener.
Daily Meditation Focus 10SEP2009
The Role of Breath
The relationship of air, the opening of the vital pathways in the body and respiration in general, is an integral theme to the global body of esoteric knowledge going
back to the beginning of the teachings themselves. It is often the case that discourses in breathing, are frequently the first step in mystical lessons, healing arts and in many of the meditation practices.
It is often noted that in our breathing, we take in the vital life force surrounding our planet, to animate our bodies 
as we inhale and to expel waste energy and purify them as we exhale. The practice of Pranayama, or “control of the life force” is said to be more than 3,000 years old. This practice teaches control of, and specific uses for, various breathing techniques for the purposes of prolonging life, curing illness and attaining rarified states of mind.
In the ancient Egyptian temple of Luxor, the large hall of columns in the section of the temple representing the human chest and lungs (see part III of the series on Symbol), has elaborate carvings of the cycles of the moon at the base of each of the columns that correlate to not just the rising and falling of tides and the human chest cavity, but specific intervals of breath to induce altered states of mind as well. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, how does our ability to control the function of breath (the only vital function we are able to consciously control) relate to its purpose and use and how is this advantageous to those of us on the path?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Symbol – The Universal Language – Part III
In Parts I & II of this series we discussed how symbol is experienced in different ways by people at different points of advancement on the path and the nature and methods of how symbol is interpreted in my mind. We touched upon the role of symbol in Pharaonic Egypt and the unfolding of consciousness as one begins to see symbol at work in the world around them. Today we’ll see some examples of how the use and application of symbolist teachings can contribute to a richer life and give insight into sacred and esoteric texts.
Once one has a grasp of symbol and the symbolist teachings that are imparted, it becomes easier to comprehend the messages and teaching contained in symbol and over time, allows for the initiate or student to move much faster. As a simple, somewhat recreational example, a trip to Washington D.C. by any Freemason with knowledge of Masonic and esoteric symbol becomes a truly amazing and eye-opening experience. Which, I can say is not only great fun, but in some ways quite moving. A completely new world is unveiled and it is quite an amazing experience that I do not have words to properly express.
As symbolist teachings become engrained and are active in the mind, one will begin to see the fundamental relationships between not only esoteric texts, but the traditional religious texts and articles of faith left to us by pervious generations as well as previous epochs. In regards to Egypt, a trip to the standing Egyptian Temples becomes a mind-blowing experience. In this case, we find not only a massive archive of hieroglyphic knowledge condensed in the symbols that adorn the walls and pillars or the structures left from that ancient time but also that the temples are themselves the teachings to be understood by current initiates. The harmonic proportions, sacred geometries and number theory contained in the actual structures begin to speak and impart knowledge to the prepared mind. Even one temporally removed by 4,000 years can still reap the benefits of the esoteric tradition today (see intro video on Magical egypt). In the case of the Temple at Luxor, the teachings reveal the nature of the human body expressed in the temple itself. In oldest part of the structure, the Holy of Holies, we find the center of the brain and the pineal gland (third eye). As you move from the top to the bottom of the temple, you are guided through the entire human physiology ending at the bottom, or feet of a human structure. From the esoteric lunar influence of tides in relationship to respiration to the semi-incomplete interconnected carvings on the opposing faces of a granite wall representing thought traversing the mind as they create a complete picture when superimposed. The experience is unlike any other.
As we look at disparate cultures and how symbol can still be relevant, I am reminded of a story of Alexander the Great. Alexander of Macedon conquered most of the known world during his lifetime and was himself an initiate of the Egyptian Mystery Schools. As he ventured across the eastern continents, we was known to take part in the religious worship of the peoples he conquered. He saw the fundamental truths and symbolic equalities in the religious allegory and rituals and could interpret those teachings within a common framework that transcended difference and religious fervor.
A serious student of symbolist teaching will eventually be confronted with the religious texts of the modern world. At this point, the texts loose all semblance of historical and chronological validity and the initiate sees and begins to understand the greater truths exposed to them. The expression of principles and laws, universal truths and allegorical interpretation lay in full view of the initiate and a completely new text appears. As these texts are experienced in a symbolic way, a deeper respect is often found and in many ways, an entirely new history is experienced.
This concludes our brief introduction to symbol and symbolic language. If there is continued interest by the readers of this blog, I will go into further detail on this subject. I hope you enjoyed this piece and I wish you well on your adventure ahead.
Symbol – The Universal Language – Part I
Symbol – The Universal Language – Part II
Healing Arts – Magic Soup Recipe
This recipe was developed using traditional chinese theories. It is very good for bone, cartilage and organ repair and has been used with great success against cancer. I had an athletic injury and had damage to the my left knee; ACL, MCL, meniscus and some surrounding tissue. The doctor had said it could take 12 weeks to recover. I drank this soup twice a day (a large soup mug)and by the 7th day I had no pain or swelling and would totally forget about the injury during the day while I was at work. Pretty amazing. (NOTE- if used as a cancer treatment: as I understand, you should continue to drink the soup after remission and use it as a preventative step). For lung and liver damage, it can take several months to complete repairs. This soup is a clear, greenish/yellowish liquid. It tastes like a medium flavored cabbage broth. Some people do not like the taste. I had no issues with the taste. The hardest produce to acquire are the green daikon tops. Whole Foods will sell you the daikon with the tops on if you ask in advance. Most purveyors will remove the tops for sale.
Magic Soup Recipe
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16 ounces white daikon
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8-10 ounces white daikon greens
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8-10 ounces carrot
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8 ounces burdock root (called Gobo in Japanese,
Uang in Korean, Ngao pong or Niu pang in Chinese)
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3-5 fresh shitake mushroom (sundried) – if not
sundried, expose dried mushrooms to sun again.
Directions:
1. Don’t peel anything! Don’t add any seasoning!
2. Fill a pot with three times the quantity of water
as the vegetable. When it comes to a boil,
reduce the flame and simmer for two hours.
Strain and drink.
Daily Meditation Focus 9SEP2009
The Role of the Heart
Today our meditation will focus on the heart. While this subject could easily fill volumes, we will concern ourselves with a reduced scope and keep it simple. In regards to
esoteric anatomy, the body is seen as a analogue to the universe and our solar system. Mankind reflected within the Cosmos; the human body is the anthropocosm of Pythagoras which acts as a conduit between heaven and earth to receive the Song of the Cosmos. One an octave of another and in tune with each other. Just as Pythagoras envisioned each of the 12 influencing zodiac houses 
resonating 12 unique tones (the heart chakra is described as having 12 undulations) to be received by the Earth and transmitted to mankind, an Egyptian principle emphasizes the Sun’s role in establishing an ever evolving rhythm for the Earth which is resonated in the human heart. The heart is referred to as the Inner Sun (glowing golden color of the heart chakra). We experience the world through resonance, through vibration. Color, sound, heat, even the manifest physical reality around us are expressions of vibration and resonance.
As we express emotion, particularly love, it emanates from the heart as does ego-less emotions such as compassion, understanding, generosity; all traits which by nature, give or provide for some function lacking in others. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, what is the role of heart in meditation and how does our meditation benefit others?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Movie Review – Magical Egypt
I own the complete 8 DVD set of this series, and honestly can’t say enough about the information contained within. Some of the content was edited prior to the new DVD releases, due to consideration for public broadcast, which originally gave me pause as to a review, but this series continues to have an incredible wealth of knowledge to dispense to anyone active in an initatic order or for seekers on the path. From the original construction dates of the Osirion and the Sphinx and the extended Pharaonic lineage back to the Shemsu Hor to the realities of Transition and the Egyptian Book of the Dead. While there is some subject matter discussed “out of school”, it is of a more subtle nature and difficult to discern. I always pick up on new bits of info every time I watch an episode. Unique and invaluable. As a Rosicrucian and Freemason, I find this body of work indispensable and genuinely quite inspirational.
Movie Review – The Science of Miracles
This video/documentary is worth watching. I’ve seen it about a 4 or 5 times over the past year and have shared it with my family and a few friends. Gregg Braden does an excellent job of bringing together totally disparate information and sources to assemble really well thought out arguments and theories, that those on the path will immediately see value in. This is as much about scientific validation of age old esoteric knowledge as it is a glimpse of how science is running into esoteric brick walls and unclassifiable/“unacceptable” phenomena in its reductionist models of the universe. Gregg is a great story teller and a tireless researcher. This video is indicative of the new (not really so new) movement to bridge science and spirituality and the attempt to legitimize sacred sciences. It is good to see a mainstream effort to lay some type of public foundation for future generations in the western world.
Starring: Gregg Braden Director: Hay house;Inc. 2009, 75 minutes
Daily Meditation Focus 8SEP2009
Meditation and Prayer
A few months ago I watch a documentary on sacred science and the relationship of mind and
feeling to the world around us that I’d like to share with you. In the video, the narrator explains how he and a very good friend of his, a native american from the US southwest, visited an ancient stone circle in the desert, so that his good friend could pray for rain. It hadn’t rained in months. They walked very, 
very far and got to the circle, his friend walked into the center and stood there for a minute or two and then walked out and said “Ok, let’s go”. The narrator was stunned to not see some ceremony or ritual performed and asked his friend what had happened? His friend explained, that it wasn’t about asking for rain or even some deep tribal secret, he simply imagined the feelings and smells of what it was like when it rained in his pueblo.. the mud between his toes, the feeling of rain on his skin, the smell of wet adobe, the cool dampness in the air. Later that night it rained. It rained hard and continued through to the next day.
Our relationship to the world around us and our feelings have much greater effect than 
is presently acknowledged. In a sense, it appears as though we have seemingly lost this knowledge or to some degree are re-acquiring it as a whole. Our relationship and understanding of prayer has gone from a deep, intuitive knowledge of ourselves and the world around us to a disconnected and often repressive and isolating experience. In regards to our journey on the path and seeing the physical experience as a mystical adventure, what is the relationship of mediation to prayer and what role do our feelings, states of mind and emotions play in these acts?
Please feel free to post any comments or feedback regarding this topic or share your meditation experience with our community in the Comments section below.
Our Sun
September 29, 2009 at 3:01 AM · Filed under Esoteric Commentary
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