XII - TRUE INITIATION

True and authentic initiation is always a profound, concrete, objective, and material process. It is the barrier that can never be crossed by those who flit around from school to school, and who do not want to become free of their animal individuality; it is the path which can never be traversed by theoretical initiates, masters of symbolism, desk magicians, library rats, intellectual and rhetorical crusaders, the self-satisfied, cowards, worshipers of oneiric culture, or defenders of human mediocrity.

Many famous men have used the title of initiate, but only a small minority have reached initiatic fulfillment, rising above the limits of what is generally spurious or mistaken theory. It is thus that we recognize in Gurdjieff one of the great Masters of this century, who unfortunately did not leave a Hermetic heir, perhaps because he did not consider anyone duly capable of it. The same occurred with Madame Blavatsky whose death signaled the beginning of the dissolution of the Theosophical Society.

One of the great errors committed by followers of occult and esoteric matters is to consider initiation as only an assembly of practices, knowledge, or ceremonies, ignoring the transcendental, cosmic, mystic, divine, and eternal nature of initiation. Initiation truly represents a tremendously significant act from the point of view of universal truth, as it is the transformation of animal sapiens into Stellar Man. Such an immense achievement, surpassing the highest dreams of sapiens, cannot be faced in the festive or frivolous spirit of an interesting adventure.

This achievement should be evaluated in all its enormous dimensions as the most noble and sublime undertaking human courage can aspire to; it is the conscious abandonment of the Homo sapiens species to join an immensely superior species: Stellar Man. In the history of mankind there has never been, nor will there ever be, a feat comparable in importance to the epic of the spiritual elevation of Homo sapiens.

However, many people talk of becoming an "initiate," the same way one becomes a physician, engineer, electronic technician, member of the Rotary Club, or a follower of the study of yoga or parapsychology. It is necessary to state that however much the student learns about esoteric theories or doctrines, if he has not passed through Hermetic death in a real way and not merely symbolically, he will never be a true initiate.

In truth, initiation is an act of renunciation and also a surgery of the soul. One should not believe that such renunciation refers only to abstaining from certain things. What it implies is the absolute sacrifice of the animal individuality. Animal egotism must disappear in order to let in spiritual impersonality. It is necessary to renounce the pleasures of the human beast, replacing them with the pleasures of the initiate, who, after attaining a perfect equilibrium, satisfies the animal and spiritual hunger in equal proportion.

Ignorant people have the satisfaction of their animal appetites as their only goal, and their productive efforts are intended mainly to gather the gold which will enable them to obtain pleasure and material benefits. Their center of gravity is located in the corporeal mass. It is the body which uses the brain, inspires emotions, and arouses passion. The body is the master, and the individual himself is the slave.

When the corporeal matter decays and dies, the individual suddenly finds himself freed from his slavery. At that moment, he understands for the first time, and without any benefit, that he never had life, thoughts, feelings, or experiences of his own, and that he was only a servant who had to toil to feed and satisfy the needs of a mass of protoplasm. That life, which should have been used to evolve, to be happy, and to progress, was instead converted into the mere memory of those things he did or could not do.

In truth, the body is not the individual; the individual takes a physical body in order to acquire experience, which permits him to perfect himself and evolve. This purpose is generally frustrated or is terribly insufficient and petty. In the final inventory of his life, the individual will realize how little he gained for himself during his existence, and how much he was obliged to give, just so the sapiens circus could continue operating.

The initiate changes this situation completely, but far from despising the body as some pseudomystics do, he strengthens it, giving it further awareness and intelligence in order to humanize the beast. This spiritualized and humanized animal no longer experiences passional states, as it is subject to the individual's higher consciousness. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand that the body itself has nothing evil or dirty about it; on the contrary, it is a perfect biological structure reflecting the master hand of the Great Creator.

It is the individual himself who perverts the body and leads it to corruption. It is thus that the animals we see in a savage state are completely pure in their animal nature, and have no knowledge of perversity. If they kill, it is because of fright or the need for food, but not for the love of killing. Sapiens is the only bloodthirsty and impure animal, as he is neither animal nor human, but a hybrid.

We could summarize the purpose of initiation in a short sentence:

"initiation is the conversion of a programmed animal into an unprogrammed and free Stellar Man."

There is only one way to accomplish this: the destruction of the personality, since this is the individual's program. Hermetically speaking, we may consider that sapiens is composed of two basic forces: his cerebral biological program (personality) and his spirit or divine spark, which could be called the "Superior I."

The program contains all the individual's robotlike elements, which connect him to the central computer of the species. The spirit is the emanation of God, or the primordial cause of life; it incarnates in a physical body to acquire experience in matter. During the initiatic process, the student must experience the death of the program, which naturally is a gradual process. Nevertheless, it should not be thought that this is merely destruction, but rather that the program dissolves upon being absorbed and transformed by the "Superior I."

During this stage, the program loses its inherent quality, and is converted into only an assembly of data and information, which must pass through the filter of internal judgment. It is here that it loses its compulsive and dreamlike power and where it experiences a deep "pruning" and transformation. All this is possible only if certain requirements are complied with, which refer basically to the disciple's dedication and perseverance, together with a deep understanding and close union with the School and the instructor.

In order to understand this, it is necessary to have an idea of the constitution of the human being—of his spirit, body, and soul. The soul has always been an abstraction and a mystery, and all attempts to define or explain it have been distinguished by their vagueness and lack of content. Hermetic tradition tells us that the soul of sapiens is composed of four major systems: the procreative, digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems, and that each one of these is in charge of an elemental intelligence which corresponds to one of the four elements.

1. Procreative system: Fire

2. Digestive system: Earth

3. Circulatory system: Water

4. Respiratory system: Air

The great Hermes Trismegistus, Master of Masters, would be horrified to see the mysteries of the sphinx unveiled. In his times, this knowledge was given only to those who had undergone many ordeals and reached certain degrees. The ancient alchemists maintained that everything in the Universe was essentially composed of four elements.

This is one of the great Hermetic truths. God too is made up of the four elements, and so through his feminine aspect (Nature) he grants four virginal intelligences to sapiens at birth which correspond to the four elements. It must be understood that the "intelligences" we refer to are "elemental beings" with their own intelligence and consciousness according to their native element.

A fire being takes charge of our procreative system; an earth being takes charge of our digestive system; a water being takes charge of our circulatory system; and an air being takes charge of our respiratory system. The initiate can put himself in mental contact with these intelligences in order to reinforce, support, or modify his work.

To avoid the reader from forming fantastic ideas regarding the intelligences of our four systems, we must clarify that they should not be imagined as human figures, but as the abstract concept of "intelligent emanations of the soul of each element." Just as God unfolds in man through the emanation of his divine spark, Nature, in its feminine side, projects itself by incorporating the elemental spark of its four "kingdoms" in man. Thus man is made up of a visible and an invisible side.

The visible side corresponds to the feminine side of God; the soul, and the invisible, to the masculine side of God, that is the spirit. The Universe is similar to the example we have given, as everything that we can see, the form, structure and body of the Cosmos, is the feminine side of the Great Creator (the Universal Mother). On the other hand, the Great Father is the masculine essence that constitutes the vital nucleus, and this side remains invisible.
 

The innocence of a young baby is due not only to the fact that he does not yet have any knowledge of the reality of the world, but specifically to the virginal purity of his soul, that is, the ensemble of his four elements. When the infant grows, he himself will corrupt his elemental intelligences by trying, through imitation and contagion, to practice the same vices and bad habits he sees around him. Freud, by claiming that the libido is the origin of all the individual's problems, covered only the fire aspect of the soul (very cleverly, we might add, since fire is the origin of life), but he left the other three vital sources untouched.

When a child smokes for the first time, he will find the taste of the cigarette very unpleasant and the smoke produces coughing, dizziness, and headaches. This is due to the fact that the intelligence of the respiratory apparatus reacts against this "aggression" and thus shows its rejection. Nevertheless, its mission is to serve the individual, and if, through an effort of his will, he continues smoking, there will come a time when the air intelligence yields and accepts the tobacco. This is its own ruination. Just like a person, it becomes corrupted and is converted into a nicotine addict.

Hysteria, self-pity, depressive states, and emotional problems in general, are located in the circulatory system. Rapacity, egotism, violence, hate, envy, and jealousy reside in the digestive system, and complexes in general reside in the procreative system. The individual's behavior soils and corrupts his four intelligences, degrading his own soul and distancing him from the possibilities of spiritual evolution.

Analyzing the symbolism of the four great systems, we will discover the clear relationship that exists between the image of the crucified Christ and the "Superior I" enchained to the four intelligences, each one representing an extremity of the cross. The words "I am the way" which must be understood literally, refer precisely to the "Superior I."

To describe initiation through a parable, we would say that it is an endeavor to "decrucify Christ." For this, there is only one path, because if one meditates on the situation of the individual, one will reach the conclusion that there is little the individual can do, as he is programmed according to the interests of the central computer. He cannot struggle against what is inside him and which forms part of his instincts, emotions, and thoughts. His only possibility lies in the sparks of awareness generated, for some reason, when the program becomes weak.

In that instant, the individual can clearly understand that there is a life superior to his own, and that when he follows the path pointed out by his teacher, he can evolve. Due to this, the student, upon starting along the path, must limit himself to fulfilling ascetic practices, which entail sacrifice and considerable effort. A sixth "I" is added to the assembly of systems, transforming it into a septenary.

For this, we will call the sixth "I" the "Volitive I," and our chart of the constitution of the individual will be as follows:

The majority of people "function" only with the first four systems, which combine to form an "infrabrain" through which the individual ordinarily develops. People of a higher caliber of conceptual or intellectual capacity act partly with number five, but only with a fraction of its capacity.

The capacity and power of the spinal medulla are not used or known by the common man. It should be noted that the sixth system or the "Volitive I" is completely unknown to sapiens who absolutely lacks it. On the other hand, all people have number seven, but this "Superior I" neither manifests itself nor intervenes in the individual's life in any way; it lives in "limbo" and is only connected to the corporeal structure by a thin thread.

It is very important to consider the fact that the "Volitive I" is created exclusively by man when he is converted into a true initiate, as all the other systems are the work of God, the Great Creator.

Illustrated below are the different ways the human being may be manifested.

Figure 4 of diagram 6 represents the initiate, who, upon creating his "Volitive I" by means of arcane theurgy, is converted into a divine being with the attributes he himself wishes to transmit to it. The "Volitive I," therefore, is truly the initiate, who is converted into a mediator between the spirit and the "Psychological I."

Under normal conditions, the individual cannot raise himself to divinity, nor cause divinity to descend to him. Through his "Volitive I," however, (which participates in both worlds, physical and spiritual) he is able to connect, when he so desires, with his spirit, divine spark, or "Superior I." For this to take place, the disciple must have dominated and educated his four intelligences, placing them under the absolute control of the "Volitive I." Naturally, this must be preceded by the birth, growth, and maturity of the "Volitive I."

The first steps for the formation of the "Volitive I" must be along the path of sacrifice. The individual must make intense efforts and special sacrifices, beyond the usual level, which will have as their goal the formation of a volitive force and his own spiritual supremacy.

The reason or purpose behind this discipline is important. If a person acted because he was impelled by ambition or obligation, this would in no way lead to the formation of his "Volitive I," as he would have acted under strong compulsion, a force beyond himself (necessity or passion). In addition, the student must be perfectly clear as to what he is doing and why he is doing it, so that the being in formation will have a high degree of awareness and intelligence.

For this, it is most useful to look into a mirror specially dedicated to this purpose, looking directly at the space between the eyebrows, and after a short while quietly repeat several times: "I am will power." The success of this exercise depends exclusively on the individual's emotional state during its execution, as well as the manner in which he pronounces and emotionally vibrates when saying the words: "I am."

While emphatically saying these words, the student should internally feel "something" in the form of a strange emotion as he encounters or contemplates a sublime interior presence. If these conditions are not manifested or if the exercise is done mechanically, there will be no effect whatsoever.

After the individual has been forming his "Volitive I" for some time, he will begin to note interesting changes, observing that a centripetal force has started to become a part of the directing force of the human complex. What is really occurring is that the "Volitive I" is converted into the supreme king of the microcosm, having above him only the "Superior I."

When it is observed that the "Volitive I" has acquired certain power, the student can take the next step, which consists of trying to awaken himself, freeing himself from the universal oneiric force. In this, as in everything that refers to Hermeticism, it is necessary to reach profound understanding in order to be absolutely certain and clear as to the reason or purpose for doing certain things.

We recommend the study of a good scientific book on hypnosis in order to understand the similarity between hypnotic and somnambular sleep, which is the normal state of sapiens. The works of professor Anatol Milechnin are extremely useful for getting a glimpse of the mystery of sleep as it relates to what is being presented in this book.

There are five basic points that the disciple must keep before him in order to "break" the phenomenon of hypnotic sleep. These do not consist of an awakening technique, but are rather adopted methods of behavior that will promote awakening. These points are as follows:

1. To stop lying
2. To stop dreaming
3. To learn how to think
4. To live in the present moment
5. To activate the physical body

Point 1: TO STOP LYING

Points 1 and 2 are closely related, as we will now see. Starting with the problem of lying, it is necessary for the student to realize that he constantly lies without realizing it. When a person has lied for a long time, the time comes when he can no longer distinguish between what is false and what is true.

 

People convince themselves of their own lies, becoming victims of their own inventions as they begin to direct their lives by standards of behavior, ideas, feelings, or instincts which do not correspond to their inner reality. What is truly serious in this matter is that the individual loses all points of reference regarding what comprises truth, and what comprises lies. He becomes used to considering as true only that which is convenient for his personal interests; everything that is in opposition to his self-esteem or in conflict with already established prejudices, he considers false.

A person lies in order to avoid difficult problems, to evade responsibility, or to avoid damage to his self-esteem. So the individual constantly lies to himself and to others, and becomes entangled in an illusory world born out of his personal fantasy. He forms concepts, ideas, judgments, aversions, and attachments that have no relation to actual events, but are only the reflection of a life full of lies and listening to lies, since everyone lies.

One of the most powerful reasons for lying is to create a good image of oneself, and to prevent others from seeing us as we really are beneath the mask of appearances. Each mask is a lie, and there are thousands in each individual's collection of disguises. It is necessary to be conscious of this phenomenon of lying, and to realize its magnitude and frequency, as well as the enormous damage it causes. One should have the goal of neither lying to oneself nor to others, and in the case of a "white lie," to be aware of telling it, and judging the need for such a lie with one's own conscience.
 

Point 2: TO STOP DREAMING

People are always infused with all kinds of fantastic ideas about themselves, the world, people, love, idealism, society, etc. Led by his eagerness to evade a disagreeable reality, man gives free rein to his imagination and is inclined to believe the first agreeable lie he encounters along the way. The individual projects his personal illusions onto a cold and immutable reality, and thus deceiving himself, he endeavors to contemplate reality through rose-colored glasses.

 

"Disillusion" is a painful process and can be prolonged, depending on how much time the individual takes to realize he is living artificially and that this condition is a product of his internal dreams. Great courage is required to face reality and to destroy the mirage of a pleasant dream.

 

On the other hand, we must consider that sooner or later dreams fade. What is dangerous for the human being is that these dreams are substituted by others, which in due course also fade. This is the life history of the human being: a succession of oneiric dreams. It is a vicious circle which is extremely difficult to break.

 

Awakening from a broken dream, and the frustration this causes, incites a person to fabricate new and more agreeable dreams in order to combat disillusion, loneliness, and disappointment. The lack of communication between human beings arises from the fact that all their dreams are different, and therefore, psychologically speaking, they live in different worlds.

If a person decides to seriously investigate the reason for his various acts and reactions, he will realize how his behavior is directed toward maintaining his personal fantasies. Great courage, discipline, and determination are necessary to face the truth, without any kind of adornment.

 

Such courage is lacking in the immense majority of human beings. It is pathetic to see how people cling to their petty illusions, generally a result of their oneiric fantasies, while disdaining all that is truly valuable. Society is organized in this manner; its scale of values is so disturbed that it considers everything that enables the individual to enjoy passing pleasures as most desirable, and then condemns its members to suffer "eternally" for the price of a fleeting pleasure.

The Hermeticist proceeds to the contrary: he submits himself voluntarily to suffering, self-discipline, and privation in order to attain eternal peace and happiness. Each individual should consciously judge what could be most desirable, and on the other hand, determine if the one who seeks passing pleasure is really happy, or if he is in truth profoundly unhappy in his eternal vacuum.

 

The majority of people have a philosophy that tells them "after this life there is no other; let us take advantage of this and enjoy ourselves as much as possible." Those who have converted this thought into their personal credo should ask themselves if they are truly satisfied and if the innumerable playthings society offers them are sufficient to quench their eternal thirst and alleviate the anguish of their loneliness.

The world of today is perfectly organized, but for what?

By observing and meditating, we will discover that everything is perfectly synchronized to maintain and feed the "dream," and the "dreams" of sapiens. An individual will cease dreaming only when he has understood and lived what we are explaining: when he proves to his amazement that each person lives drugged by his personal dreams, which are transformed into the rudder which directs his life.

 

It is useful to analyze all the projects one has had in life, everything that one has desired and planned to accomplish, but which in retrospect appear as a phantasmal unreality.
 

 

Point 3: TO LEARN HOW TO THINK

It is important to completely reeducate the thinking process in order to make it really creative, because only when this function is accomplished can the individual think clearly. Creative thinking is not the act of "inventing" something, but rather consists of thinking in an unprogrammed way.

 

One's intelligence should be used to face each event as if it were really new, casting prejudices to the side. This will enable the individual to create a result or form a judgment that is truly impartial, as he has given up his habitual sources and does not consider anything as a known fact.

 

Described symbolically, creative thought consists of dispensing with the program in order to form a high level of judgment, which is not affected in its genesis by the compulsive force of the information stored in the cerebral computer. When people think, they do so compulsively and in spite of themselves. This is as evident as the fact that thought is not voluntary, for an individual cannot cease thinking when he so desires.

 

On the contrary, it is impossible for him to oust ideas from his imagination or prevent unpleasant ideas from arising. The organization and security of the modern world has created conditions of life in which the individual has no need to make a great effort in order to survive. He can subsist with little effort, and in some cases practically none at all, especially when compared to the harsh struggle for life in Nature's wilderness.

 

There is nothing which really obliges an individual to use his basic intelligence; on the contrary, he has been converted into an expert in evading or dodging all truly trying points presented to him which question his intelligence. It is much safer and more comfortable to not venture along the path of free thought, but to instead accept or adopt already established and approved systems of thought and behavior. Imitation and blind acceptance have become the easiest road to satisfy sapiens' ever diminishing intellectual curiosity. Hermetically, on this subject, we speak of "dead" and "living" knowledge.

 

"Dead" knowledge is that which is known by its specific meaning, but whose interrelation with the whole is ignored. It is a single part of knowledge and it is not known how, when, or where it fits in relation to the remaining pieces of the overall plan. In contrast, "living" knowledge is obtained in a state of superior awareness, and is always the product of perfect "mental digestion."

"Dead" knowledge is born solely from the intellect, while "living" knowledge originates in the mind. Because "living" knowledge is essentially understood by the awakened thinker, he is therefore conscious of the position which this knowledge occupies in the general context of the Universe.

Here we approach one of the most important points which separate sapiens and Stellar Man. Sapiens thinks only with his brain and his intelligence is therefore limited to the intellectual cerebral source. Further, the average person uses only a small portion of his brain for his intellectual functioning, which is furthermore located in a sort of "prebrain" composed of the four intelligences and the unconscious, which is the ancestral soul of the animal of the species.

 

For this reason, even on high intellectual planes, sapiens obeys the mandate of his animal soul, the beast. In the Bible reference is made to the number 666 as the number of the beast. Upon inverting this figure we find the number of man: 999.

The Hermeticist, however, through his initiatic work, reaches the formation of the "spiritual system," the mind, which is lacking in the average person, who usually refers to it therefore, as a symbolic abstraction of the psyche. In reality, the mind is the superior integration of the human faculties into a whole, directed by the "Volitive I," and manifesting the "Superior I," which is the spirit or the individual himself.

Sapiens, making use of his rudimentary "prebrain," (the union of one part of his brain with the four intelligences and the unconscious) is able to make scientific discoveries thanks to the transmission of culture from generation to generation and by taking advantage of an assembly of collective experiences and knowledge. Thus, a long list of geniuses have contributed with their discoveries and investigations to raising the level of our civilization.

 

Without discrediting the extraordinary talent of these men in any way, it must be stated that they have been only "intellectual geniuses" and as such have worked on the smaller picture. They have totally overlooked any relation to the whole, having no knowledge of the effect or reaction their work would subsequently have on everything.

We must necessarily classify these intellectual geniuses as "semi-sages" as they are monoconceptual, visualizing everything through the prism of their specialty. It is interesting to meditate on what would be the behavior, reactions, appreciation, and scale of values possessed by individuals of great intelligence who do not belong to human terrestrial culture. It would be interesting to also know the thought process of superior beings who are high above pettiness, egotism, prejudice, and sapiens' moral, cultural, and spiritual superstitions.

The true sages are the "geniuses of the mind"—those who are able to generate everything with their mind, those who can raise themselves over opposite poles and reconcile all that is not reconcilable, understand all paradoxes, penetrate into the essence of everything, and be aware of the hidden cause of all that is manifested as an effect.

 

These sages are the possessors of true wisdom, the kind given to King Solomon; they are the ones who exist beyond good and evil, who know the hidden threads which connect all things. These sages demonstrate their knowledge in themselves, applying it to the control and evolution of their internal nature. They possess the "philosopher's stone" with which they produce spiritual, not physical gold; with this noble project they help sublimate the animal in sapiens.

Could it be possible that a group of men possess the secret of converting the entire body into a brain? Would it be possible to think with a foot, a hand, the stomach, or the lungs? The mind is something very much like this: a kind of superbrain which gathers the intellectual, emotional, instinctive, and physical into itself.

One might ask where the discoveries of these great brains are? To answer this, the reader needs to meditate on what he would do if he were a superbrain. Would his interests be the same as before? Would he persist in his egotism and anthropocentrism? Would he continue being interested in temporal things or would he feel more attracted to the eternal?

In answering this, it is sufficient to consider the position and importance of the planet Earth in relation to the rest of the Universe. Consider that the dead intelligence of the common man is the intelligence of the Earth, while the mind or superbrain is celestial intelligence. If one were an ant and suddenly changed into a human being, would one retain the interests of an ant? (Be it known however, that from the viewpoint of universal economics, the ant is just as important as man).

 

Perhaps the highest interest of the geniuses of the mind does not reside in great scientific discoveries, or could it be that once aware of the "universal plan," these geniuses are not permitted to interfere with the natural development of events within an already determined span of time?

 

To illustrate this, we recognize in Leonardo Da Vinci a great genius of the mind. We cannot comment on his intentions, which belong to the secret of his particular initiatic work. Without being aware of his motives, we cannot judge them.

In summary, sapiens possesses a dead intelligence which only permits him to be "specialized" and always within the human cultural scheme. The Stellar Man has a live intelligence; he can transcend the terrestrial level and evolve his "Superior I." It is thus that there exists dead knowledge (orthodox wisdom) and a living knowledge (Hermetic science). One is a product of the brain; the other, a product of the superbrain. Further on, we will give instructions for the development of the superbrain.
 

Point 4: TO LIVE IN THE PRESENT MOMENT

To apply this point, it is indispensable to clearly understand the previous chapter entitled "To Be or Not to Be?" where we explain the absolute key which, together with unveiling the mystery of being, illustrates the methods for overcoming sleep. That key is expressed as follows:

"The only reality is the present moment; there is no past or future, both are illusory" (in the present moment there is no past or future, the past existed and the future will exist).

 

We also said that "the present is the exact point of union between the past and the future."

There is a dividing line which separates fantasy or unreality from truth or reality. This line is time. Reality is the coincidence between the steps of the human being and his companion time. It is thus that our physical body is constantly in reality; it is objective and occupies space. On the other hand, the occupant of the vehicle (the "Superior I") habitually lives in unreality, that is, beyond the wall that separates reality from fantasy. The unreal is something belonging to a natural reality X, which finds itself projected into a different time from where it belongs.

For example, if a human being belongs to the reality classified as "Delta-15," which has a time similar to an X clock, but is then projected into X² time, he evades reality, living in a world which exists only in dimension B, which naturally his physical body has no access to, as he cannot raise his body to X² time.

 

Therefore, if there are so many different velocities of time, we must ask ourselves how many realities exist? The logical reply is that there are as many realities as there are velocities of time. Nevertheless, as we are physically constrained to Delta-15 time, we must adapt ourselves to this reality. If one lives in an unreal world with respect to Delta-15 time, that is, with respect to human reality, it is the same as not existing at all, for the body would be that of a somnambulist, an empty shell without an occupying spirit or "Superior I," an entity, a mere spectator of a fantastic kaleidoscope.

For example, what is the fourth dimension? It is a world that actually exists, but only for those who possess a vehicle which can manifest itself in the temporal vibration of the fourth dimension. The aphorism which says "everything is illusion" refers to this problem, which should be interpreted as follows:

"Nothing is real for the one who is in absolute reality, as all that exists has reality only for those who are on the same vibration or time, since time is velocity and velocity is vibration."

It is due to this principle that a "ghost" for us is just an illusion, and not a physical being. By "ghosts" I mean the energy remaining after a person's death.

A thought has no concrete and physical reality: we cannot weigh or see or bump into a thought. Nevertheless, for a man composed of thought matter, thoughts would be visible and tangible. Why is it that our body cannot collide with a thought? Because it has a different speed and, therefore, a different reality.

As human beings we are the union of two forces of very different vibrations:

• Mass energy or physical body

• Mind energy or spirit

This union has only one objective: evolution. Evolution is cosmic for the great human mass, and personal for the individual. The object of having a physical body is to evolve. When the individual does not evolve due to indolence, disinterest, or personal incompetence, he does not fulfill the prime objective of his individual life, and is only open to the possibility of becoming the "sexual part" of God, being converted into an animated instrument of physical creation.

 

He suffers greatly in this process: he has a physical body, but pays the penalty of losing the only personal justification for having it—individual evolution.

The body and spirit belong to very different realities, to two times which are distant or apart from each other. As a consequence, the spirit is not manifested on Earth, but remains in slavery or chained to the physical body, and must suffer the fantasies and dreams experienced by the "Psychological I." Not being able to become located in the Delta15 reality, the spirit lives constantly out of the present (outside of Delta-15).

 

It is thus that the body loses its function as a vehicle of the spirit, remaining only an instrument of the Archons of Destiny, with the object of becoming one more worker at the orders of his owner. It should be explained that creation is accomplished in the Universe by means of the imagination of sapiens, which shapes all emotional, instinctive, and intellectual states. This energy condenses in a remote future, becoming transformed into matter. This is why we can state that God is the Great Architect of the Universe and that the human mass forms his laborers' army who, as payment, receives the gift of existence.

This would not be such a terrible thing if sapiens had access to reality, although some think that the fact of being conscious of it and of not being able to change it, increases suffering. The only way to reach absolute reality, to destroy dreams, and earn the right to one's own evolution is to make the body and the spirit coincide at the same doorway or temporal communication so that together they may face reality.

 

Upon accomplishing this, the individual lives in two worlds as he has attained knowledge of two opposite realities: that of matter and that of spirit. Both are reconciled in a third reality, the one sought by the Hermeticist: the absolute reality, which although still material, is part of that which is divine, and being divine, forms part of that which is material.

 

This is what we call being on this side of the dividing line (which separates reality and fantasy), to have one's feet on the ground and one's head in the heavens. This is very different from profane men, with their feet on nothing and their head in oneiric fantasy.

In order to live in the present moment, the individual must have reached not only the creation of his "Volitive I," but also its complete strengthening, as the "Volitive I" can be weak or strong. The "Volitive I" must oblige the "Psychological I" to concentrate on the present moment. This is done with adequate discipline of the imagination, a state of relaxation, and with the perfect integration of our microcosm in an internal hierarchy under the guidance of the "Volitive I."

It is important that our imagination should not wander, that we should overcome nervous tension, and that our entire being is under the control of the "Volitive I." Further on we will summarize the practical application of this, as everything is related, and if this were done in each chapter, we would have to digress many times.
 

Point 5: TO ACTIVATE THE PHYSICAL BODY

As the physical body represents the opposite pole from the spirit, it is obvious that it represents an "obstacle" for communication with our "Superior I." Nevertheless, at the same time it is necessary to "raise the vibration of our corporeal matter," which is done by making the body obey our will.

 

To this end, let us briefly consider three principal elements:

• Food

• Breathing

• Physical Exercise

We will not discuss these points in detail, as they are not part of this chapter. We will only speak of them as some of the methods for destroying dreams. Our recommendations will be very brief, because in this case the only objective is to "activate the physical body."

Regarding food, we will only recommend abstaining from consuming dense meats "of a low vibration" such as pork, as well as practicing vegetarianism when the student must give special attention to his ascetic side in order to purify his state of consciousness.

 

With respect to alcohol, it is necessary to be very prudent in its use, as it is a considerable organic depressor, and its effect is only noticed after some time. It acts as "super fuel" which unnecessarily wears out the organism with no advantage whatsoever. If alcohol consumption turns into a vice, it is a very dangerous element, as it breaks the individual's etheric protection or "aura."

 

This exposes the individual to contact with demonic creations which exist on the lower astral plane (one of the vibratory planes; the lowest after the material) which is clinically known as "delirium tremens."

Breathing should be considered in relation to absorbing more oxygen, that is, by practicing complete breathing. Begin by expanding the diaphragm until completely filling the upper part of the lungs and expanding the thorax. Inhale by expanding the abdomen, projecting it forward with some force until it is slightly bulged.

 

Continue to inhale until the lungs are filled, expanding the thorax and filling it while the abdomen is naturally flattened. Upon exhaling, the abdomen must be gently contracted to facilitate the elimination of residual air. Ten minutes of morning breathing contributes much energy toward activating the physical body.

Physical exercise is indispensable for the reactivation of our body, but it is necessary to do those exercises which make our cardiovascular system work, such as the various forms of aerobic exercises. Added to this, each person can practice calisthenics according to his age. Also, it is necessary to practice an exercise of complete immobility every morning, which should be done as follows: seated very straight on a chair, remain absolutely motionless for three minutes.

 

Once this is perfectly carried out, continue to the second stage, which is similar to the first but starts by tensing all the muscles strongly, clenching the fists and thinking "I am awake," letting this idea fill the organism. The muscular tension must last one minute after which the muscles are completely relaxed and loose, and then complete immobility is maintained for five minutes, always with the fixed idea, "I am awake."

 

For this exercise to be completely effective, immobility must be absolute, without moving the muscles even one millimeter. The eyes should remain open throughout the exercise.

During the process of true initiation, we have already referred to two very important stages, which are the creation of the "Volitive I" and the destruction of dreams. For the latter we pointed out that it is necessary to fulfill five basic disciplines:

1. To stop lying
2. To stop dreaming
3. To learn how to think
4. To live in the present moment
5. To activate the physical body

We will now approach the third stage, which is "mental digestion."

Common man lacks a mental stomach (mind) and therefore cannot effectively "digest" acquired knowledge. In spite of the fact that we are speaking figuratively and symbolically, this simile closely reflects the ideal work of the intelligence, as it is equivalent to that of the stomach: to transform basic elements into "nutritional essence." No matter how much a person eats, if he does not assimilate it, the food eaten is of no use whatsoever.

The same occurs with the intelligence of sapiens, who has become an intellectual glutton, devouring knowledge, which becomes integrated into the cerebral neurons without having been truly assimilated. In short, he is a hoarder of mental food which he never uses.

Physically speaking, this is equivalent to an individual who stores food he will never eat. There is not only corporeal obesity but also intellectual obesity, and it is curious that there are those who are proud of this expansion of their intellect. Man is convinced that the more he studies, the more prepared he will be to learn the truth. It has never occurred to him that perhaps the opposite is true.

If we think about this just a little, having understood the concept of programming, we will realize that to study more means more program; the greater the program the less the capacity for alertness; and less alertness means more automatism, less humanity, more unreality and fantasy. When an individual who lacks a "mental stomach" begins to study, the result is always the same: intellectual inflation and reinforcement and growth of programming.

On the other hand, when the individual who has a mind studies, he genuinely digests his intellectual food and therefore a real change and evolution is produced inside him. We have already addressed stages 1 and 2, which refer precisely to the formation of the mind; therefore, if the student carefully fulfills these, he will be in a condition to study and really assimilate knowledge.

The philosopher's stone has traditionally been the symbol of mind, and as such always appears as the key element for transmutation. When a student has perfectly formed his mind, not only will he be in a condition to transmute him self, but he will also be able to accomplish many other tasks of great Hermetic value.

We must point out that orthodox science has completely failed to address or even recognize the effects produced in a person who has achieved a perfect process of understanding.

Psychology knows something about understanding, but is incapable of evaluating its importance. This process, when perfectly accomplished, constitutes a magical-alchemical operation which produces a certain element in the body which is missing in sapiens, and which could be called consciousness. It is necessary to point out that in this stage of birth, conscious awareness is a material element which is present chemically in the bloodstream, and from its combustion spiritual gold originates, which feeds and enables our essence to grow.

Alchemy represents an entirely corporeal work in which the crucible is the body itself, the fire is passion, and the lead is the raw material. Alchemical "sublimation" is the lengthy work of transmutation of sapiens into a Stellar Man. There is no prayer, no breathing exercise, no mantra, no magic formula, and no mythological Master who can offer shortcuts or a substitution for this process.
 

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XIII - THE ORDEALS

One of the most frequent criticisms of the famous Hermetic novel Zanoni concerns the terrifying nature of its theme, which vividly describes the ordeals endured by Clarence Glyndon, one of the main characters. It is thought that the author, Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, exaggerated or over dramatized the difficulties which the neophyte encounters on the path.

The fearful "specter on the threshold" is no more for the reader than the fictional symbol of abstract or subjective internal difficulties. For others, the specter is a malevolent being which actually appears before the student, submitting him to all kinds of torture.

The truth is that there are very few who understand that the terrible specter is just one of the problems the disciple encounters on the path, and that the others do not refer to situations so spectacular as those presented in Zanoni. Neither adepts nor Masters are represented by Zanoni and Mejnour, who were instead chosen by Lytton as prototypes to illustrate the two different paths the initiate may take upon attaining mastership.

The ordeals are mostly those of daily life rather than fantastic apparitions or magical rites. For this reason, they are even more transcendental and difficult than if they were unusual or spectacular situations. The ordeals exist and are terribly hard, and this is something that candidates for initiation must not forget.

Naturally we are speaking of "true initiates" and not of those who expect to reach high degrees within the peaceful tranquility of an existence far from threatening, dangerous, or inconvenient realities. The sooner the neophyte understands that it is necessary to overcome tremendous obstacles and destroy powerful internal barriers, the easier it will be for him to recognize the importance of the initiatic process.

As we have already stated, sapiens is programmed and depends on the central computer of the species and on the collective animal soul. It is not difficult to understand that if an individual tries to free himself from this bondage, he will face strong opposition manifested through Nature itself, which will react with great energy to bar the path of the candidate advancing toward wisdom.

Thus, from the moment the individual starts on a true path free from fraud or self-deception, and when he carries out true Hermetic work on himself, all kinds of temptations, doubts, difficulties, and problems will appear in his life in order to dissuade him from persevering. This is not strange, as he is attempting to overcome his internal nature which, like all savage forces in Nature, responds with extraordinary vigor to all intent to control or dominate.

To tame a savage beast is strenuous work. There is a savage beast in everyone, and no one knows how far the savagery may escalate at a given moment, in spite of culture and education. The traditional Egyptian Sphinx, which has the head, neck, and bosom of a woman and body and paws of a lion, is a symbol of the animal nature of the human being. It is she who blocks the way to the intrepid seeker of Hermetic light.

Nevertheless, the Sphinx has wings to symbolize the fact that it is necessary to raise oneself through one's animal nature, and not through the strength of the spirit as many people believe. Furthermore, this corresponds exactly to the image of Jesus Christ mounted on an ass, which represents the beast that must be tamed by the "Superior I."

In truth, if we feel an impulse inside us to soar toward higher planes, it is not due to the spirit, but rather the beast. The beast is not bad in itself, but is only perverse in the measure in which it has taken into itself this characteristic from the common pool of human bestiality (collective unconsciousness) which forms part of the central computer of the species. To understand this, we show the spirit and the beast depicted by two triangles, one descending and the other ascending.

The spirit is the celestial power, which radiates toward the Earth. It is the positive pole of life, and is attracted by the passive pole, which in this case is material terrestrial existence. The spirit is pure in itself and therefore seeks that which is unknown, the only thing which can offer an experience different to its own vibration, which is material sensations.

The beast, on the contrary, looks toward the heavens because, knowing it is impure, it struggles to reach the purity that only the divine can give it. This is why the six pointed star called the "symbol of Solomon" is not a positive image, since it represents petrification or detention of the movement of life. It is very different when the ankh, or "symbol of life," appears in its center, for it then represents the "vital equilibrium" of creation, thus being transformed into a highly positive figure.

The fallen angels represent "spirits" or virginal divine sparks who descend to fulfill or perfect themselves through experience in matter. We recommend to the reader the interesting book, The Revolt of the Angels by Anatole France, in which the author humorously and poetically exposes the mystery of the double triangle. The existence of these two forces, one ascending and the other descending, allows us to understand in a deeper manner the superior role which the "Volitive I" must perform in managing spiritual energy, as well as the material force identified as the beast.

Usually, those who arrive at an initiatic school make fun of the ordeals, characterizing them as mere barriers. Nevertheless, as time passes, they are rudely shown their different faults. In spite of this, failure in some ordeals does not mean defeat, but rather a lesson that the individual must learn; and until he does so, he will remain blocked by the obstacle. The extreme difficulty of the ordeals lies in their tremendous subtlety.

These ordeals are generally based on the individual's internal failures which are beneath the threshold of his awareness, and which remain unknown to him. This is similar to what occurs with a person's defects; generally, he is completely incapable of observing them.

The first steps taken by an individual who enters a Hermetic school are decisive, as he is prone to be guided by false and capricious impressions, arising primarily from a projection of his internal problems. Many times, the individual looks upon the school as an entity which is trying to use or pressure him in order to obtain something from him. He craves salvation or a guide to success, but at the same time he does not want to let himself be saved easily, and he wishes to show that he is not easy to convince or handle.

The individual does not realize that he himself is the only one interested in his own salvation (freedom from being used by Nature) and if he does not free himself, no one will come to his rescue. Until he understands his real situation in the world, he will lack the necessary motivation to fight for his own existence, as this is what he is striving for after all. The only possibility of success resides in being able to visualize his true position in life before Nature and destiny, and in his ultimate use of the "Volitive I" as an instrument for fulfillment.

We have seen the most incredible things happen to sincere students. Sudden riches or love are often sufficient to make him stray from his path. Other times, his loved ones turn into his worst enemies as far as initiation is concerned; these loved ones are undoubtedly controlled by the central computer of the species. This is very much like some apprentices of sorcery who try to dominate Nature, but end up as its slaves.

The difficulties which the student must face just to reach the meeting place of the brotherhood on time, sometimes take on tragicomic overtones. The oddest things occur solely to prevent him from reaching the meeting, and the problem is that it is the individual who is "sabotaging" himself. The ass is a symbolic animal in Hermetic Art. It represents the negative animal nature of the individual; its basic keynote is stupidity, inertia, laziness, negligence, and irresponsibility.

It is due to this that when an individual makes a harmful mistake, it is said figuratively that he should not "think as an ass" or rather that "the ass should not be allowed to think for him." Hermeticism also speaks of the "path of the ass" to describe those who, after so much effort and hardship, and after covering so much ground, always remain in the same place.

In ancient times, asses were used to bring up water for irrigation from springs or wells, and the animal walked many miles per day, but because this was in a circle, he always remained in the same place. Hermetic teaching states that only after conquering the ass is it possible to conquer the Sphinx and soar on its wings to cosmic space. The Sphinx is the vehicle of the Stellar Man.

Regarding the candidate's gender, it is necessary to state that for men the ordeals are mainly expressed through instinct, along with all the related psychological and material situations and conditions. On the other hand, the women's weak point is situated in their emotional nature. It is due to this that the admission of women into "initiatic schools" has been traditionally prohibited, and this is the reason why the Freemasons only admit women on "ladies' nights." In ancient times when women belonged to initiatic orders, many brotherhoods were destroyed when one of the female members, under the influence of passionate love, revealed the secrets of the order to enemy organizations.

The Freemasons were originally a Hermetic brotherhood formed by high initiates as a preparatory school for other higher-level work. Nevertheless, with the symbolic death of Hiram, Freemasonry lost the secret of the rites and symbols such as the true meaning of the passwords. Hermetic tradition was extinguished and there remains only the unknown language of the symbols. The light that existed has lost its Hermetic meaning, and only the philosophical significance remains.

The brothers have fallen "asleep" with the passage of time, perhaps sung to sleep by their pride in having thirty-three degrees of Masonic splendor. However, their symbols, inspired from ancient rites, are truly beautiful. Without a doubt, entering into Freemasonry will morally, culturally, and philosophically benefit any clear minded person. But between entering Freemasonry and becoming truly twice born, there is a world of difference.

It must be pointed out that true Schools of Initiation have never banned the entry of women into their ranks, and that women may also work in the Temple.

The ordeals the candidate for initiation faces may be internal or material. Material ordeals concern concrete situations, which arise from the reactions of Nature. Remember that Nature is internal as well as external, and tremendous internal conflicts are therefore produced.

Two interesting events make a profound impression on the disciple during the process of initiation.

• One is the gradual vision the candidate acquires of himself, seeing himself as he really is without subterfuge, idealization, or hypocrisy.

• Another is the gradual contemplation of the truth, the world, and its people.

In the first case, the student suffers a profound shock upon seeing himself as he really is for the first time. This vision opens two paths to him: he can either accept or reject his true nature.

If he rejects his true nature, instead of breaking through the shell of his isolation from reality, the individual, terrorized by the naked truth, builds up an impenetrable and indestructible shell of iron. There are many illusions (in the sense of that which is illusory) that the individual must overcome in order to evolve.

This is carefully stated in the well-known and beautiful book Light on the Path by Mabel Collins:

Before the eyes can see, they must be incapable of tears. Before the ear can hear, it must have lost its sensitiveness. Before the voice can speak in the presence of the Masters, it must have lost the power to wound. Before the soul can stand in the presence of the Masters, its feet must be washed in the blood of the heart.

Life's truths are so terrible in their nakedness, that for a disciple to endure them in a well-balanced manner, he must have adequately prepared himself. It must be realized that Nature is completely cold and could not care less about the kindness of a monk or the perversions of an assassin.

Within her bosom Nature conceives equally wheat and hemlock, healing herbs and poisonous plants. Neither the greatest idealism nor the most despicable evil alter the immutability of the laws of Nature. There are truths that are so dangerous, they are truly like "a razor's edge," for if the student still retains the seed of egotism or evil, the vision of these mysteries will traumatize him to such an extent that he will never return to normality. Herein lies a great similarity with the case of our neophyte in Zanoni, although reality is always more deadly and less spectacular than the theme of a novel.

Many have gone insane upon glimpsing a truth which was too unbearable for those who have not been able to overcome their baser passions. Truth is only attained by the absolute nakedness of the innocent purity of those who "become little children." Truth is a double-edged sword: it raises up the pure and destroys the passional.

In an Initiatic School, hundreds of different situations arise which test the integrity, purity, and decisions of the student. These tests range from loss of confidence in the School and the Master to a feeling of being used or cheated in one manner or another. Each individual reveals his internal failings through his doubts and conflicts. Thus, the one who has no honor firmly believes that they will oblige him to lose his honor; the one who is not free believes he will lose his freedom of choice; an immoral individual believes he would be obliged to violate moral rules; and a thief would complain of "losing his integrity."

Many feel they are passed over and believe there is favoritism and prejudice, or believe they are not being taught enough. Others, especially the unfeeling egoists, accuse their companions of "having lost all sensitivity." In brief, in a School, a series of vital situations is reproduced, much like in a laboratory, so the student can consciously observe the behavior of others and also take note of his own.

In this setting it is also possible for the School to profoundly understand the student in order to better help him. Naturally, for this work to bear fruit it must be authentic, that is, the student must not pretend at any time, but must be honest and sincere, and his reactions must be absolutely authentic. It must be pointed out that each ordeal that is successfully overcome raises the disciple to higher states of awareness, allowing him to understand that which was previously incomprehensible.
 

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XIV - THE OBSTACLES

In contrast to the ordeals, obstacles are not Nature's reactions but ordinary barriers, which all people have to face in order to evolve. The absolute rule of dreams over sapiens must be understood, and that if sapiens wants to evolve, he must necessarily awaken. If he does not awaken, he will remain static.

To awaken is difficult to do, as sapiens is submitted to a cosmic hypnotic influence which is the universal energy of creation; and if this were not enough, each individual, when he does not like the reality of life or is not satisfied with himself, dreams of himself and the world in a manner ideal for himself.

Hermetically, we call this foolish romanticism, to differentiate it from the idealism of the poets. Romanticism is the ingredient which enables the human being to accept his dreams as an expression of reality, and his life is limited to attempting to satisfy his own fantasies. Let it be understood that we refer to an inferior and destructive type of romanticism, although people cannot differentiate this from its higher counterpart.

In general the individual has the following obstacles along the way:

AN ERRONEOUS CONCEPT OF HERMETICISM OR ESOTERICISM AS A WHOLE

People's beliefs in this area swing between two extremes: those who consider esotericism as something superstitious, evil, or diabolical, and those who blindly believe. The latter speak occult jargon and say that "it is necessary to unfold on the astral plane, to open the third eye, or awaken the Kundalini," and due to their tremendous naiveté are sincerely convinced of the truth of their own words.

THE DIFFICULTY OF SEEING ONESELF OBJECTIVELY

Each person wears the banner of the qualities he most appreciates in himself.

A person cannot avoid projecting his own image to others, and judging everything according to his own concepts rather than in a free and experiential manner. It is as if each day a person digested part of the world, only to afterwards vomit all that did not correspond to his image of what is pleasant, true, or positive. In his self-protection, man has created a God in his image and likeness, one he imagines as a kindly old man with a white beard.

DISINTEREST IN LEARNING THE TRUTH

People do not want the truth because they are not interested in it. They prefer to sleep peacefully, even if it means tomorrow they will be devoured by Nature, a presentiment which exists in all human beings from childhood.

CONFORMING WITH THE "FLOCK"

This conduct gives the individual the false sensation that all is well simply because he is doing what everyone else does and accepts. For the same reason, he does not dare to decide anything for himself, least of all to study or accomplish something not approved by "official science." In this respect it would be interesting to verify whether hypnotism was any less effective before being accepted by science, and whether its acceptance, in truth, made it more respectable and effective. Following along this line, we see that in most cases respectability and morals only reflect the degree of conformity with the flock.

BEING DEPENDENT ON THE PASSIONS

Passions express the individual's baser animal tendencies, which exist alongside superior animal tendencies. The baser tendencies are manifested in the appetite of the corporeal mass, which seeks its own satisfaction without considering the higher interests of the individual whatsoever.

 

Indolence, inertia, laziness, apathy, bitterness, resentment, jealousy, envy, and lust, to name a few, manipulate man as a puppet, and he will be unable to free himself from this situation. Each state of passion takes control of the body including its psychological components at a given moment, and the individual completely forgets his previous resolutions.

PROJECTION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS ONTO THE TEACHINGS

It often happens that people seek Hermetic Teaching not to evolve spiritually, but to compensate for their yearning for power or their inferiority complexes. People frequently project their unconscious traumas, fears, ambitions, and desires onto the Teaching in order to extract from it the same "food" they derive from these problems. They in turn use the new knowledge they receive in order to fortify their process of psychological rationalization.

FEAR OF FREEDOM

We know that sapiens fears freedom with the force of an irrational anguish. Deep down inside himself he knows that the Hermetic path will inexorably lead him toward freedom or salvation. But, does the individual really wish to be free?

 

Generally, the greater percentage of the sapiens species prefers mediocre slavery to the most glorious and brilliant freedom. It is for this reason that people search in life for something to become enslaved to, as they cannot stand the sensation of liberty. There are those who "chain themselves to a stone" even if they know that this rock will drag them into the abyss of the sea.

What has been discussed here is a brief summary of the obstacles to advancement encountered along the path to spiritual supremacy.

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XV - INITIATIC PRACTICES DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUPERBRAIN

Our brain alone is not equal to the task of discovering the truth and attaining spiritual evolution; it is necessary to form the mind, a superbrain which will enable us to reach the condition of a Stellar Man. The following is a brief summary of the elements needed to form a superbrain:

1. The four intelligences (the soul of man): water, air, earth, and fire
2. The "Volitive I"
3. The Mind
4. Three basic objectives:

a) The forming of the "Volitive I"
b) Awakening
c) Mental digestion

5. Three superior objectives:

a) Deprogramming
b) Initiatory death
c) Rebirth

6. Three supreme objectives:

a) Evolution
b) To be converted into a Stellar Man
c) To transcend Maya (cosmic illusion)

It is not possible to insist enough on the fundamental requirement that the student must have a Hermetic Master who has already traveled the path the disciple wishes to follow. Only those who have consciously reincarnated are able to do without a Master, or, if possible, have many Masters who will refresh the memory of the reincarnated. The one who has consciously reincarnated certainly knows this, but this happens infrequently.

The indications given here are of an elemental character, and their object is to shed light on the path of the student toward the truth, to guide him in his goals. Only a genuine Master is able to transmit to the disciple the spiritual flame, the magical ferment which becomes his occult power as an initiate. This is not a poetic abstraction, but something material, a concrete process which takes place between the Master and the disciple.

Naturally this power does not free the student from his ascetic disciplines; on the contrary, it obliges him to undertake them with greater perseverance.

EDUCATION OF THE FOUR INTELLIGENCES

To educate the four intelligences, the student must consider them to be the seat of his bad habits and vices, and he must proceed to cleanse them of all that is negative, giving them awareness and intelligence, according to the model of desired behavior.

INTELLIGENCE OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
(Earth Element)

The earth element encompasses all corporeal matter, but its seat is in the stomach. Its key word is absorption. To educate this intelligence it is necessary to submit its functions, to a certain extent, to the control of will, the "Volitive I."

The digestive system must be thought of as an intelligent being with which we can communicate, to which we can speak, and control. For this the following formula is used:

"You, intelligence of my digestive system, I order you to blindly obey me in all I say. I give you awareness and intelligence so you may perfectly fulfill your biological functions. From this moment, my will shall be your will, as I am your God, master, and owner whom you must respect and obey. When you are fed, it will be because it is my will and when you fast, it will be because I want no food."

This formula must be repeated several times, endeavoring to penetrate into the hidden forces of the digestive system.

Periodically it is necessary to fast for an entire day, and upon initiating this one must say:

"You, intelligence of my digestive system, will abstain from all food for 'x' amount of hours, as this is my will and I order you to blindly obey this mandate."

If the student suffers from any hepatic ailment or any type of digestive disorder, he must try to cure it by reinforcing the intelligence of his digestive system with all his will power. The reader will need to try to discover the cryptic sense of these instructions, as occult laws prohibit saying more than necessary.

INTELLIGENCE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
(Fire Element)

The fire element is located in the sex, which is the seat of the instinctive center. Its key word is irradiation. For the education of this intelligence, the previous formula should be used. This formula does not vary for any of the other systems. Only the name and function of the corresponding element is changed. It is necessary to regulate the sexual function, submitting it to one's will power in order to have sexual relations only when the "Volitive I" permits it, and at no other time.

 

We must remember that this system is the seat of the libido, a fact we can make use of to extricate all the complexes we may have by working on this center of activity. For this it is necessary to make the respective intelligence reason, so that it may abandon its infantile activity and proceed in a more mature manner. This should be complemented by the practice of controlling the imagination, which we will refer to under the respiratory system.

INTELLIGENCE OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
(Water Element)

The water element resides in our circulatory system, the seat of the emotions. Its key word is unification. As in the above cases, the formula already described for educating this intelligence is also used. Together with this formula, it is necessary to practice rigorous emotional hygiene to prevent the heart from receiving harmful or destructive emotions.

This is achieved gradually, through the "Volitive I." Furthermore, daily concentration on the heart (the brain of this system) should be practiced in order to create a state of profound peace and perfect submission of the emotions to the will.

INTELLIGENCE OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
(Air Element)

The air element resides in our respiratory system, the seat of the imagination. Its key word is vitalization. We must work with the known formula and further establish an adequate control of the imagination. It is necessary, at all costs, to suppress any morbid imagination, only letting positive, harmonious, balanced, and higher thoughts enter. The spoken word must be educated, cleansing the language and always accomplishing that which is affirmed out loud. The student who affirms something verbally and does not keep his word is converted into a plaything of Nature, and it will be very difficult for him to accomplish his personal projects.

Through breathing, we have access to the world of vibrations and by sharpening our sense of smell, it is possible to capture any kind of vibration through the inhalation and retention of breath.

We must insist on the fact that there are many secret keys in these instructions, but whether or not they are discovered is left to the interest and discernment of the reader.

For instance, and as an exercise, think about what occurs with the union of the elements of air (respiratory system) and fire (reproductive system) or, water (circulatory system) and earth (digestive system).

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