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ecosophia
...and the relentless march of the FHR papers continues. ;-) In this week's installment we have instructions for working with the element of air, another chapter of the Kybalion, and another lesson from the preliminary work of the Order of Spiritual Alchemy, At this point we're past the halfway mark, and those of you who have been doggedly making copies of all this material can look forward to having a good solid training program in classic occultism in your possession, ready to work with whenever you choose. Working with the Element of Air, Part One
The Element of Air represents the mental reality as we know it. Every thought and idea we have is a part of this mental reality. Our thoughts are the Element of Air and they occur in our own personal World of Air. Air is our thoughts and ideas and everything having to do with thinking. Air is negative attitudes, restricting beliefs, impure thoughts and worthless ideas. Air is also positive attitudes, freeing beliefs, pure thoughts and ideas of great value.
We call Air our mental reality but mystics of all ages and common sense tells us it's really not "real" at all. It's all an illusion but we're living and thinking in this illusion and our senses and our mind tells us this illusion is real. For us, at this stage of our spiritual evolution, it is real. Knowing that this physical-emotional-intellectual reality is an illusion and living in that illusion is called the human condition of the mentally alert person.
The Element of Air also represents our beliefs, intentions and attitudes. The fact that our beliefs are in conflict with our attitudes and intentions; and our attitudes and intentions are in conflict with each other, is also part of this illusion. It's part of the confusion we experience as we live on this side of the Veil of Ignorance. We don't remember the truth about ourselves and everything else in the Creation.
When you studied the Earth Element as a Seeker, you learned that Acceptance was the key. Then as a Sojourner studying the Water Element you learned that Forgiveness is the key because you could not rid yourself of your emotional complexes, your emotional garbage, until you learned to accept and forgive yourself. Now as a Student studying the Air Element you will learn that Love and Compassion are the key. Without love and compassion you cannot clear your mind of the confusion of life. And until you clear your mind of the confusion of life, you cannot learn the truth about yourself and all of Creation.
Your thoughts and ideas are an integral part of who you are in this physical reality. Your thoughts and ideas not only define your intentions, beliefs and attitudes, they define what you remember of the past, what you imagine for the future, what you allow to be intuited, how you receive Divine influences in your life, how you measure right and wrong and what occupies your attention. Your mind controls all of these things and you control your mind by what you think.
* * * * *
The next chapter of The Kybalion may be studied at this stage of the work.
CHAPTER TWO: The Seven Hermetic Principles
Symbolism:
Grade: 4°, Student
Emerald Table: “That which is below is as that which is above, and that which is above is as that which is below, to perform the miracles of One Thing.”
Cabala: Malkuth to Hod—Path of Memory
Tarot: Arcanum II, the High Priestess
Geomancy: Fortuna Minor—Sun in Leo
Text:
“The Principles of Truth are Seven; he who knows these, understandingly, possesses the Magic Key before whose touch all the Doors of the Temple fly open.”–The Kybalion.
The Seven Hermetic Principles, upon which the entire Hermetic Philosophy is based, are as follows:
I. THE PRINCIPLE OF MENTALISM.
II. THE PRINCIPLE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
III. THE PRINCIPLE OF VIBRATION.
IV. THE PRINCIPLE OF POLARITY.
V. THE PRINCIPLE OF RHYTHM.
VI. THE PRINCIPLE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT.
VII. THE PRINCIPLE OF GENDER.
These Seven Principles will be discussed and explained as we proceed with these lessons. A short explanation of each, however, may as well be given at this point.
I. THE PRINCIPLE OF MENTALISM.
“THE ALL is MIND; The Universe is Mental.”–The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that “All is Mind.” It explains that THE ALL (which is the Substantial Reality underlying all the outward manifestations and appearances which we know under the terms of “The Material Universe”; the “Phenomena of Life”; “Matter”; “Energy”; and in short, all that is apparent to our material senses) is SPIRIT, which in itself is UNKNOWABLE and UNDEFINABLE, but which may be considered and thought of as AN UNIVERSAL, INFINITE, LIVING MIND. It also explains that all the phenomenal world or universe is simply a Mental Creation of THE ALL, subject to the Laws of Created Things, and that the universe, as a whole, and in its parts or units, has its existence in the Mind of THE ALL, in which Mind we “live and move and have our being.” This Principle, by establishing the Mental Nature of the Universe, easily explains all of the varied mental and psychic phenomena that occupy such a large portion of the public attention, and which, without such explanation, are non-understandable and defy scientific treatment. An understanding of this great Hermetic Principle of Mentalism enables the individual to readily grasp the laws of the Mental Universe, and to apply the same to his well-being and advancement. The Hermetic Student is enabled to apply intelligently the great Mental Laws, instead of using them in a haphazard manner. With the Master-Key in his possession, the student may unlock the many doors of the mental and psychic temple of knowledge, and enter the same freely and intelligently. This Principle explains the true nature of “Energy,” “Power,” and “Matter,” and why and how all these are subordinate to the Mastery of Mind.
One of the old Hermetic Masters wrote, long ages ago: “He who grasps the truth of the Mental Nature of the Universe is well advanced on The Path to Mastery.” And these words are as true to-day as at the time they were first written. Without this Master-Key, Mastery is impossible, and the student knocks in vain at the many doors of The Temple.
II. THE PRINCIPLE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
“As above, so below; as below, so above.”–The Kybalion
This Principle embodies the truth that there is always a Correspondence between the laws and phenomena of the various planes of Being and Life. The old Hermetic axiom ran in these words: “As above, so below; as below, so above.” And the grasping of this Principle gives one the means of solving many a dark paradox, and hidden secret of Nature. There are planes beyond our knowing, but when we apply the Principle of Correspondence to them we are able to understand much that would otherwise be unknowable to us. This Principle is of universal application and manifestation, on the various planes of the material, mental, and spiritual universe–it is an Universal Law. The ancient Hermetists considered this Principle as one of the most important mental instruments by which man was able to pry aside the obstacles which hid from view the Unknown. Its use even tore aside the Veil of Isis to the extent that a glimpse of the face of the goddess might be caught. Just as a knowledge of the Principles of Geometry enables man to measure distant suns and their movements, while seated in his observatory, so a knowledge of the Principle of Correspondence enables Man to reason intelligently from the Known to the Unknown. Studying the monad, he understands the archangel.
III. THE PRINCIPLE OF VIBRATION.
“Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates.”–The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that “everything is in motion”; “everything vibrates”; “nothing is at rest”; facts which Modern Science endorses, and which each new scientific discovery tends to verify. And yet this Hermetic Principle was enunciated thousands of years ago, by the Masters of Ancient Egypt. This Principle explains that the differences between different manifestations of Matter, Energy, Mind, and even Spirit, result largely from varying rates of Vibration. From THE ALL, which is Pure Spirit, down to the grossest form of Matter, all is in vibration–the higher the vibration, the higher the position in the scale. The vibration of Spirit is at such an infinite rate of intensity and rapidity that it is practically at rest–just as a rapidly moving wheel seems to be motionless. And at the other end of the scale, there are gross forms of matter whose vibrations are so low as to seem at rest. Between these poles, there are millions upon millions of varying degrees of vibration. From corpuscle and electron, atom and molecule, to worlds and universes, everything is in vibratory motion. This is also true on the planes of energy and force (which are but varying degrees of vibration); and also on the mental planes (whose states depend upon vibrations); and even on to the spiritual planes. An understanding of this Principle, with the appropriate formulas, enables Hermetic students to control their own mental vibrations as well as those of others. The Masters also apply this Principle to the conquering of Natural phenomena, in various ways. “He who understands the Principle of Vibration, has grasped the sceptre of power,” says one of the old writers.
IV. THE PRINCIPLE OF POLARITY.
“Everything is Dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled.”–The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that “everything is dual”; “everything has two poles”; “everything has its pair of opposites,” all of which were old Hermetic axioms. It explains the old paradoxes, that have perplexed so many, which have been stated as follows: “Thesis and antithesis are identical in nature, but different in degree”; “opposites are the same, differing only in degree”; “the pairs of opposites may be reconciled”; “extremes meet”; “everything is and isn't, at the same time”; “all truths are but half-truths”; “every truth is half-false”; “there are two sides to everything,” etc., etc., etc. It explains that in everything there are two poles, or opposite aspects, and that “opposites” are really only the two extremes of the same thing, with many varying degrees between them
To illustrate: Heat and Cold, although “opposites,” are really the same thing, the differences consisting merely of degrees of the same thing. Look at your thermometer and see if you can discover where “heat” terminates and “cold” begins! There is no such thing as “absolute heat” or “absolute cold”–the two terms “heat” and “cold” simply indicate varying degrees of the same thing, and that “same thing” which manifests as “heat” and “cold” is merely a form, variety, and rate of Vibration. So “heat” and “cold” are simply the “two poles” of that which we call “Heat”–and the phenomena attendant thereupon are manifestations of the Principle of Polarity. The same principle manifests in the case of “Light and Darkness,” which are the same thing, the difference consisting of varying degrees between the two poles of the phenomena. Where does “darkness” leave off, and “light” begin? What is the difference between “Large and Small”? Between “Hard and Soft”? Between “Black and White”? Between “Sharp and Dull”? Between “Noise and Quiet”? Between “High and Low”? Between “Positive and Negative”?
The Principle of Polarity explains these paradoxes, and no other Principle can supersede it. The same Principle operates on the Mental Plane. Let us take a radical and extreme example that of “Love and Hate,” two mental states apparently totally different. And yet there are degrees of Hate and degrees of Love, and a middle point in which we use the terms “Like or Dislike,” which shade into each other so gradually that sometimes we are at a loss to know whether we “like” or “dislike” or “neither.” And all are simply degrees of the same thing, as you will see if you will but think a moment. And, more than this (and considered of more importance by the Hermetists), it is possible to change the vibrations of Hate to the vibrations of Love, in one's own mind, and in the minds of others. Many of you, who read these lines, have had personal experiences of the involuntary rapid transition from Love to Hate, and the reverse, in your own case and that of others. And you will therefore realize the possibility of this being accomplished by the use of the Will, by means of the Hermetic formulas. “Good and Evil” are but the poles of the same thing, and the Hermetist understands the art of transmuting Evil into Good, by means of an application of the Principle of Polarity. In short, the “Art of Polarization” becomes a phase of “Mental Alchemy” known and practiced by the ancient and modern Hermetic Masters. An understanding of the Principle will enable one to change his own Polarity, as well as that of others, if he will devote the time and study necessary to master the art.
V. THE PRINCIPLE OF RHYTHM.
“Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates.”– The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that in everything there is manifested a measured motion, to and fro; a flow and inflow; a swing backward and forward; a pendulum-like movement; a tide-like ebb and flow; a high-tide and low-tide; between the two poles which exist in accordance with the Principle of Polarity described a moment ago. There is always an action and a reaction; an advance and a retreat; a rising and a sinking. This is in the affairs of the Universe, suns, worlds, men, animals, mind, energy, and matter. This law is manifest in the creation and destruction of worlds; in the rise and fall of nations; in the life of all things; and finally in the mental states of Man (and it is with this latter that the Hermetists find the understanding of the Principle most important). The Hermetists have grasped this Principle, finding its universal application, and have also discovered certain means to overcome its effects in themselves by the use of the appropriate formulas and methods.
They apply the Mental Law of Neutralization. They cannot annul the Principle, or cause it to cease its operation, but they have learned how to escape its effects upon themselves to a certain degree depending upon the Mastery of the Principle. They have learned how to USE it, instead of being USED BY it. In this and similar methods, consist the Art of the Hermetists. The Master of Hermetics polarizes himself at the point at which he desires to rest, and then neutralizes the Rhythmic swing of the pendulum which would tend to carry him to the other pole. All individuals who have attained any degree of Self-Mastery do this to a certain degree, more or less unconsciously, but the Master does this consciously, and by the use of his Will, and attains a degree of Poise and Mental Firmness almost impossible of belief on the part of the masses who are swung backward and forward like a pendulum. This Principle and that of Polarity have been closely studied by the Hermetists, and the methods of counteracting, neutralizing, and USING them form an important part of the Hermetic Mental Alchemy.
VI. THE PRINCIPLE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT.
“Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause; everything happens according to Law; Chance is but a name for Law not recognized; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the Law.”–The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the fact that there is a Cause for every Effect; an Effect from every Cause. It explains that: “Everything Happens according to Law”; that nothing ever “merely happens”; that there is no such thing as Chance; that while there are various planes of Cause and Effect, the higher dominating the lower planes, still nothing ever entirely escapes the Law. The Hermetists understand the art and methods of rising above the ordinary plane of Cause and Effect, to a certain degree, and by mentally rising to a higher plane they become Causers instead of Effects.
The masses of people are carried along, obedient to environment; the wills and desires of others stronger than themselves; heredity; suggestion; and other outward causes moving them about like pawns on the Chessboard of Life. But the Masters, rising to the plane above, dominate their moods, characters, qualities, and powers, as well as the environment surrounding them, and become Movers instead of pawns. They help to PLAY THE GAME OF LIFE, instead of being played and moved about by other wills and environment. They USE the Principle instead of being its tools. The Masters obey the Causation of the higher planes, but they help to RULE on their own plane.
In this statement there is condensed a wealth of Hermetic knowledge–let him read who can.
VII. THE PRINCIPLE OF GENDER.
“Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all planes.”–The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that there is GENDER manifested in everything–the Masculine and Feminine Principles ever at work. This is true not only of the Physical Plane, but of the Mental and even the Spiritual Planes. On the Physical Plane, the Principle manifests as SEX, on the higher planes it takes higher forms, but the Principle is ever the same. No creation, physical, mental or spiritual, is possible without this Principle. An understanding of its laws will throw light on many a subject that has perplexed the minds of men. The Principle of Gender works ever in the direction of generation, regeneration, and creation. Everything, and every person, contains the two Elements or Principles, or this great Principle, within it, him or her. Every Male thing has the Female Element also; every Female contains also the Male Principle. If you would understand the philosophy of Mental and Spiritual Creation, Generation, and Re-generation, you must understand and study this Hermetic Principle. It contains the solution of many mysteries of Life.
We caution you that this Principle has no reference to the many base, pernicious and degrading lustful theories, teachings and practices, which are taught under fanciful titles, and which are a prostitution of the great natural principle of Gender. Such base revivals of the ancient infamous forms of Phallicism tend to ruin mind, body and soul, and the Hermetic Philosophy has ever sounded the warning note against these degraded teachings which tend toward lust, licentiousness, and perversion of Nature's principles. if you seek such teachings, you must go elsewhere for them–Hermeticism contains nothing for you along these lines. To the pure, all things are pure; to the base, all things are base.
* * * * *
Here follows the second lesson on spiritual alchemy.
Preliminary Lesson Two—The Law of Shame
To the extent that we blame ourselves for anything, we feel ashamed. The truth is that no matter what we've done, the Divine accepts, forgives and loves us unconditionally. Mistakes are just that. We made an error. It may have been an error in judgment, but we made an error. That's all we did. We goofed. We made a mistake. We were wrong—then.
Whatever we did and whenever we did, it is over. It belongs to the past, not to the present. We need to realize that everybody living now and everybody that ever lived made mistakes and a lot of those mistakes are far worse than anything we ever did. We need to get over it and get on with our lives. Correct the error to the best of your ability, accept that's the best you can do, forgive yourself for making the mistake in the first place, love yourself in spite of this mistake and get on with your life. This is the Law of Shame: Carrying the weight of shame causes more harm than the things for which we feel ashamed ever did.
When you're ashamed, you’re not living your life and that's a much bigger mistake than anything you ever did that makes you feel ashamed now. Get over it. Confess the source of your shame to yourself and to the Divine, and possibly to another person you can trust. Confess your mistake. Confess your inability to make it right. Correct the error as best you can, accept this as being the best you can do, forgive yourself, love yourself in spite of this error, and get on with your life.
If you don't, you're going to wallow around in shame until you do. While you're wallowing around in shame like a pig in a mud hole, life goes on and passes you by. You remain in your dungeon of shame and people can't see the best in you. They see only the worst and you continue your downward journey into self-pity, self-judgment and self-condemnation.
What's wrong with this picture? Other people who have done much worse things than you have learned to accept their mistakes, forgive themselves, and get on with their lives. Why can't you?
You can. Here's one way.
Managing Shame: Step One
Some of the things that make you feel ashamed are things you did in the past. This first step is intended to deal with those.
- Make a list of all the things you did in your life that make you feel ashamed now. Write down as many details about each source of shame in your life as you find relevant. Then one by one take up each item and ask yourself the following questions about that item.
- Does the Divine, who accepts and forgives everything, accept you and forgive you in spite of this mistake? Keep asking until you find the strength to say “yes.”
- What can you do, in your present circumstances, to make amends for this mistake? Make it a priority to do what you can to make amends and avoid making this same mistake in the future. Do what you can, accept this is the best you can do, and go on.
- If there's nothing you can do, for whatever reason, about making amends, turn to the Divine and ask for forgiveness and peace and vow to do something to make somebody else's life easier. By easing the pain of another person, you release your own pain and shame.
- Release your shame and let it go.
If you feel ashamed about something, you're holding yourself back in life and impeding your spiritual growth. If you seek acceptance, forgiveness and love from the Divine because of this situation, you will instantly receive it. If you accept, forgive and love yourself to the best of your ability over this situation, you empower yourself and you grow spiritually. The choice is yours and yours alone.
Managing Shame: Step Two
Not everything that makes people feel ashamed has to do with their own actions. Many people feel ashamed of things about which they had no choice. They feel ashamed about their family, their job, their friends, their environment, and many other things
Make a list of all the things about your family, job, friends, environment, and other things that make you feel ashamed Then one by one take up each item and ask yourself the following questions about that item.
1. What is it about the thing that makes you feel ashamed?
2. When do you first remember feeling ashamed about it?
3. What effect has feeling ashamed about that thing had on your life?
4. What would you have to do to stop feeling ashamed about this?
Your spiritual growth and your ability to live life to its fullest depends upon your ability to resolve your issues of shame. As long as you insist upon hanging onto your shame, your shame will retard your spiritual growth. As long as you insist upon hanging onto your shame, your shame will weigh you down and make life ever so much more difficult for you. As long as you insist upon hanging onto your shame, you cannot reach your highest potential in this life.
The process of resolving and releasing shame is necessary in order to be free to create a new and better life. Begin the work now. Don’t be ashamed if it turns out you can’t get rid of all your shame at once! There may be things you are ashamed of that you can’t resolve yet; if so, accept that and move on. The important thing is to make a start, and begin the process of moving forward to the life you want to live.
Take between one and two weeks on this lesson, devoting some time to it every day. When you feel you’ve processed as much of your shame as you can, go on to the next lesson.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-07-07 11:19 pm (UTC)It is impressive how much psychic energy can be locked by emotional trauma and other mishandlings of the mind. Even in the baby steps of a daily banishing and the other two legs of the bubbling cauldron of the aspiring occultist I can feel increased facility and power just be doing the OSA work, even if at the pace that I have taken it, which hasn't been impressive by a long shot. My life however, that has been seeing some very significant improvement. I wasn't even aware how low I was and now feel ready to start walking again. Thanks for making these and everything else you publish available! And for putting up with me from time to time. I've been re-reading my comments for the past two years in here and oh man, the embarrassment! A better version of me is in the making. Just recently, after some mental cleanup I found myself getting in touch with ideas and aspirations I hadn't visited before, waiting for me and within reach once again. Phew! I really, really thought I was going to be stuck and miserable for the rest of my life and now I get to explore them and pursue them in a new light and with some fresh air.
Looking forward to what will come, right now, catching up on your beginnings given the global situation. The Long Descent is very apt to be reading right now...
Gratefully,
Augusto
(no subject)
Date: 2022-07-08 04:30 pm (UTC)Gratias tibi
Date: 2022-07-08 08:43 am (UTC)MILLICENTLY LURKING
(no subject)
Date: 2022-07-08 11:18 am (UTC)Not sure if this is an edit-o or just me expecting the wrong pattern (as is true of the bulk of my suggestions), but I think the tarot arcanum picture should have changed from The Magician to The High Priestess to match The Kybalion's Chapter 2 symbolism listing.
~ Heather
(no subject)
Date: 2022-07-08 04:31 pm (UTC)Book?
Date: 2022-07-08 11:58 am (UTC)Re: Book?
Date: 2022-07-08 04:36 pm (UTC)I'm hoping, however, that readers will make their own collections of the material, format it as they wish, add in anything they find relevant, and put those on the internet too. Competing versions are good -- they help keep fundamentalism at bay.