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First off, I feel it relevant to declare why it is that I have these reservations regarding discussing my esoteric studies. The rationale is really quite simple. If someone is at the point in their journey where they need the information/guidance, they will know the questions to ask. I don’t make it a habit of volunteering information. It corrupts the path. In the A.’.A, it is forbidden to discuss the “Great Work” with non adepts. I don’t have a problem with the secrecy. As Ken Wilbur said, “Enlightenment is by its very nature elitist; but it is never exclusive.” Over the years this has become more and more reasonable – like the scene in the first Matrix movie where Morpheus is introducing Neo to the dangers within the Matrix:

Morpheus: The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you’re inside, you look around. What do you see? Business people, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system, and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it.

When people are ready to wake up they ask questions. To give them the keys when they aren’t ready only makes conflict inevitible; or, even worse, it gets them lost and just sets them back.

But today I’m going to offer some info into my research that I usually keep within a very closed circuit. I hope that you will all take a few minutes to read it. This isn’t your average LJ banter. This is pertinent info. I hope you see it as such as well.

It is becoming increasingly evident that today we are living in a period of spiritual renewal. Just as the European Renaissance of five hundred years ago was marked by a sudden, dramatic extension of physical exploration and an equally profound extension of perception leading to a spectacular flowering of the arts and sciences, so now again we are witnessing the simultaneous expansion of our world in both outer and inner directions. Emerging out of the darkness of the machine-dominated industrial age into the speed and brilliance of the electronic epoch, man has, for the first time, physically left Earth’s gravity field and reaches for the stars. At the same time, enlightened with a new clarity of perception, man faces with amazement the vast, unexplored interior spaces that open up beyond the hitherto accepted yet artificially created boundaries of his consciousness.

The new renaissance greatly exceeds the old in range and depth, for it is no longer a question of simply expanding our inner and outer horizons. We are completing a cycle: the era of partial views, of divisive ideas and ideologies is waning. The first photographs of the whole earth returned from space signaled the beginning of the new cycle of all-inclusiveness: there she hung like a blue-green jewel in the velvet black of deep space, laced with sparkling atmospheric veils – our spaceship (to borrow from Buckminster Fuller), our mother, our planet. The world is one. We are all together now.

the vision of the unity of our physical world has been repeatedly proclaimed in our time. On the basis of his evolutionary studies, Teilhard de Chardin, a French Jesuit paleontologist, formulated the concept of the noosphere: the thought field of the planet, which interpenetrates and extends beyond the biosphere and atmosphere. Having developed as a natural extension of the evolutionary process, because “the consciousness of each of us is evolution looking at itself and reflecting” the noosphere is developing toward a state of concentrated yet highly differentiated unity which Teilhard called the “omega point.”(1) Marshall McLuhan has pointed out how the impact of our electronic technology, which allows instant information feedback all over the planet, is placing us, whether we know it or not, in “the global village.” Television, “the third parent,” has brought the Vietnamese farmer into the American living room, and our social consciousness is no longer national, but tribal.(2) Buckminster Fuller advocated and demonstrated for many years that to consider man’s environmental problems from the point of view of synergistic, comprehensive design science will enable us to overcome the rich-versus-poor differential that our obsolete, nationalist, local separatist points of view have originated and maintained. Fuller said: “Synergy (the principle that the behavior of wholes is more than the sum of its parts) is of the essence. Only under the stress of total social emergencies as thus far demonstrated by man do the effectively adequate alternative technical strategies synergetically emerge. Here we witness mind over matter and humanity’s escape from the limitations of his exclusive identity only with some sovereignized circumscribed geographical locality.”(3)

The vision of unity is here and is shared by many, the possibilities and the resources exist, yet the reality is that some eat and some starve; everyone wants peace, yet there is war; we proclaim freedom and equality, yet we practice oppression and separation. Our minds and perceptions may be experiencing a renaissance, but our emotions and behavior still respond to the old separative fixations. “There is not enough to go around,” say our old animal fears, rationalized by Malthus and his modern successors. “Only the fittest survive,” says Darwin, quoting Nature out of context. Following this concept, one side believes we must fight to prove we are the fittest, we must have an “aggressive sales campaign” (note the military metaphors). The other half of the world, caught in the same basic fear mechanisms, follows Marx’s analysis of a small segment of European industrial history and generalizes it wildly: “The workers (or rather we, their representatives) should be in control of the wealth.” Power control motivated by fear; fear due to perceived scarcity: perceived scarcity due to shortsighted separateness and possessiveness; possessiveness based in part on ancient animal territorial instincts. “I have, you have not, stay away”; or: “I have not, you have, hand it over.”

The conflicts and disunity in the outer world mirror the fragmentation and separative chaos within our personal nature. Here is where psychology comes in, or rather should come in, but unfortunately does not. What is man’s nature that he is driven thus to fight, to kill, to blind himself to the perception of his own divinity? Is he really the killer-ape with an oversize brain, run amok, as some would have it? Or is he the victim of a sort of phylogenetic psychosis? Is homo sapiens sapiens an evolutionary mistake, soon to be discarded on Nature’s rubbish heap, like other species that failed to adapt? Has he flubbed his role in the evolutionary drama and destroyed the scenery of the ecological theater to such an extent that the production will have to be canceled?

These are the questions the new renaissance man is asking. There must be significance in all this madness, one feels. If “consciousness is evolution looking at itself and reflecting,” perhaps we will still have a chance. Perhaps the visions of the prophets of unity represent the ray of hope emerging at last from Pandora’s box of destructive emotions and obsessions. There is a groping and probing going on, a testing of new methods of furthering consciousness evolution. There is restless impatience with external solutions, superficial and transient because they are based on obsolete perceptions. There is growing awareness and amazement at the realization, as yet inchoate and partial, that the answers are within us, that the inner guide, the Immortal Self, is here, within you and me, ready to teach and waiting to be heard.

One of the world’s most beautiful poetic metaphors for this situation is given in the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā, or “song of God,” is sung in the midst of this battlefield of life, as a dialogue between Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (written Krist-na until the 20th century), who is an incarnation of Vishnu, the Almighty Preserver of Universe. Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents, his teachers, his erstwhile friends. All the imprints and false-to-fact images that have been implanted in him, all the emotional ties with the nearest and dearest, are now obstacles that have to be dissolved if he is to follow the way (the yoga) to the understanding of truth. “And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household” (Matt. 2:36). Throughout the ensuing battles, Krishna, the Higher Self, is the counsellor, the wise friend, who does not get involved in the struggle with externals but who holds the reins of the chariot and guides Arjuna to the goal by “inner direction.”(4)

The ancient literatures of India and China are replete with formulations containing beauty, wisdom, and psychological insight. Yet often their texts are alien and inaccessable to the Western mind. Our yoga, our way to the truth, has been science: systematic observation and experimentation. Using this method we have gained considerable understanding of and control over the external forces of Nature. We have made no corresponding progress in our understanding of the laws of our own inner nature; and this lack of corresponding development is now making itself felt in drastic and painful ways as we awaken to the intimate ecological relationships between our own technological activity patterns and the larger macropatternings of Great Nature herself.

The notion that it is possible to approach the understanding of the psyche with the same scientific attitude that is used in the study of the physical world has been unfashionable in psychology for some time. However, this was the avowed program of many of the so-called fathers of modern psychology. Wilhelm Wundt, Gustav Fechner, and Edward Titchener all initiated projects in systematic introspection and the experimental analysis of subjective sensation and feeling states. But these projects came to an end very soon when the observers encountered material of the sort now called resistances or complexes, that is, thoughts, feelings, or sensations surrounded by something similar to a negative force field that prevents further direct awareness without outside intervention.

The inseparable interaction of the process of observation with the phenomena observed, which is expressed in the physical sciences in Heisenberg’s indeterminancy principle, is of course of paramount importance in psychology where the phenomena to be observed are the observer’s own subjective states. Yet we find that the pervasive and fundamental distortions of perception caused by ego factors and personality-bound perspectives are very rarely recognized by the observer in himself, though it is frequently enough pointed out and analyzed in other, so-called “sick” individuals, whose distortions happen to be somewhat more crippling and idiosyncratic than most.

Ancient psychological training institutes, known as mystery schools, recognized the impossibility of overcoming the artificially created yet effectively imprinted distortions and limitations of consciousness without the help of a teacher who had already overcome these same limitations. As G. I. Gurdjieff, a “modern” teacher in the esoteric tradition, phrased it: “A man can not awaken by himself. But if, let us say, twenty people make an agreement that whoever of them awakens first shall wake the rest, they already have some chance. Even this, however, is insufficient because all twenty can go to sleep at the same time and dream that they are waking up. Therefore more still is necessary. They must be looked after by a man who is not asleep or who does not fall asleep as easily as they do…”(5) It is, of course, possible that an individual will awaken accidentally or spontaneously and begin to perceive phenomena not perceived by the majority of those around him. Gustav Fechner, for example, damaged his eyes by repeatedly gazing at the sun with inadequate filters while performing his experiments on sensation. During the subsequent year, which he had to spend in total darkness, he apparently broke through to a level of consciousness which allowed him, when he returned outside, to perceive energy fields (auras) around plants and animals. He had what is usually called a “mystic experience”, an experience of union with the Creator, and he spent the rest of his life attempting to give quantitative expression to these newly perceived relationships; an unsuccessful effort which resulted in that uninspiring branch of modern psychology known as “psychophysics.”(6)

Other individuals who have expanded perception, either as a natural development from childhood on or acquired accidentally through some kind of shock experience, will, if they are able to integrate their perceptions into the image they have of themselves, use their ability in artistic expression or as professional mediums, clairvoyants, and the like. Again others may utilize their unusual gifts in regular professions such as business or medicine. Shafica Karagulla has documented numerous instances of businessmen and physicians who were clairvoyant or precognitive, some of whom did not even know their perceptions were unusual, and all of whom were understandably noncommunicative about them.(7)

There are, of course, individuals who are unable to integrate expanded perception into their self-concept, and in whom it produces dissociation of personality to such an extent that the person’s relationships with external reality are either severely crippled and blocked, as in neurosis, or totally disorganized, as in psychosis. The hypersensitivity of the neurotic patient is in one way the cause of his distress and inner conflict, while at the same time it can become his greatest asset in his growth as an individual. All practicing psychologists, Freud and Jung included, derived many of their most important insights from their patients’ perceptions. Equally, schizophrenics are often demonstrably telepathic and “psychic.” Indeed, the inability to distinguish their own thoughts and fantasies from the equally vividly perceived thoughts and fantasies of others is part of the reason for the schizophrenic terror.

All the above considerations apply also to the temporary state of extended perception and awareness induced by psychedelic drugs. For someone whose ego concept is sufficiently flexible to assimilate them, the experiences can provide valuable insight into his own psychic processes and the factors obstructing his growth. For someone whose self-images are dominated by fear and defensiveness, or who is given the experience without adequate preparation or support, the drugs can produce more or less temporary disorganizing and destructive effects.

(1) Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Phenomenon of Man, p. 240.

(2) Marshall McLuhan, War and Peace in the Global Village.

(3) R. Buckminster Fuller, Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth, p. 99.

(4) Srī Krishna Prem, The Yoga of the Bhagavat-Gita.

(5) P. D. Ouspensky, In Search of the Miraculous, p. 143. (This book is a verbatim record of Gurdjieff’s teaching.)

(6) William James, “Concerning Fechner,” The Writings of William James, pp. 529-545.

(7) Shafica Karagulla, Breakthrough into Creativity.

***********************************************************************************

TO BE CONTINUED…

“No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.” – Mark Twain (1866)

Additional Rabbit Holes -

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  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Been very busy—Bill just went out the door so I’m going to have to make this quick so I can make sure he doesn’t go walking down the road. Only read through the opening (through “read and comment”) but agreed and loved it all (tomorrow’s the big day—of course it’s already tomorrow there). Copied the rest and will study it at my liesure and get back to you. Keep up the good work! ;)

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Been very busy—Bill just went out the door so I’m going to have to make this quick so I can make sure he doesn’t go walking down the road. Only read through the opening (through “read and comment”) but agreed and loved it all (tomorrow’s the big day—of course it’s already tomorrow there). Copied the rest and will study it at my liesure and get back to you. Keep up the good work! ;)

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    I dunno if I’ll put part 2 up today or tomorrow. I don’t want to have it get overwhelming and have people not read it – even though it takes a whopping 3 minutes to read. It’s the amount of text, I guess.

    Namaste.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    It took me longer than three minutes, but I’m slow :) I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to parts two and three.
    Felt inspired to buy you a book. It’s a small one and worst case scenerio you can keep it until the next time you are waiting for a shipment of books to arrive and are jonesing. If you will email me your mailing address I’ll send it.
    I’ve finally posted a new entry in my LJ and I hope you will read it.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    It took me longer than three minutes, but I’m slow :) I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to parts two and three.

    Felt inspired to buy you a book. It’s a small one and worst case scenerio you can keep it until the next time you are waiting for a shipment of books to arrive and are jonesing. If you will email me your mailing address I’ll send it.

    I’ve finally posted a new entry in my LJ and I hope you will read it.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    In reference to what you wrote in “The New Renaissance” part one about when someone is ready they will ask the right questions and the necessity to keep it secret:
    When Lahiri Mahasaya (Sri Yukteswar’s guru) received the Kriya Yoga meditation technique from Babaji he asked Babaji’s permission to give that teaching to others. Babaji consented but with the injunction that it be given only to those who ask for it. At that time, the early 19th century, the masses weren’t ready for it. When Yogananda came to the United States in 1920, following instructions to bring the teaching to the West, it was necessary for him to teach a very basic method (primer, if you will), because, as you wrote, we had made “no corresponding progress in understanding of the laws of our own inner nature.” He also continued to adhere to the above mentioned injunction and never wrote a description of the technique for the public but gave it only to those who asked. Now that the information age is fully upon us, that the spiritual renewal is in full swing, the injunctions are being lifted. Now the truth must be told to all who would receive it. There will still be those who will refuse to become “unplugged” and that’s OK, we can’t do anything about that, those people will simply be unmoved by the work or declare it to be false (“Rest satisfied with doing well, and leave others to talk of you as they will.” —Pythagoras). But the ones who are just beginning their search and don’t know where to turn (that number is increasing rapidly) will be led to the various sources available to give them the “ah-ha” moment that shows them a direction to take their search, whether it be your writings or someone else’s. Those who will not benefit from it will simply ignore it. Yogananda wrote in his autobiography: “Truth is for earnest seekers, not for those of idle curiosity.”
    You also wrote, “What is man’s nature that he is driven thus to fight, to kill, to blind himself to the perception of his own divinity?” The following is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to friends a few years ago:
    Sri Yukteswar, in The Holy Science, wrote of the five stages of the heart, which closely mirrors the Buddhist understanding that people live on different levels corresponding with the seven chakras. The Buddhists say that people living on the levels of chakras one, two, and three are living on animal levels.
    “Animals too cling to life, animals too, beget their future. Animals too, fight to win. So people on these levels have to be controlled by social law”—– -Joseph Campbell, Transformations of Myth Through Time, the chapter, “The Way of Enlightenment: Buddhism.” [In his chapter “Integrity” from Zen Soup, Laurence G. Boldt writes: “From the Taoist perspective, what is good is what is intuitive and natural. Codes of ethics and moral standards to live by are not demonstrations of integrity but evidence that it has already been lost.”] Campbell goes on to say that at the level of chakra one the “psyche is practically inert. It is just hanging on to life. Chakra two, erotics, is the chakra of sexuality and chakra three is possession and winning; the chakra of aggression.”
    Sri Yukteswar says: “There are five states of the human heart: dark, propelled, steady, devoted, and clean. By these different states of the heart is man classified, and his evolutionary status determined.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    In reference to what you wrote in “The New Renaissance” part one about when someone is ready they will ask the right questions and the necessity to keep it secret:

    When Lahiri Mahasaya (Sri Yukteswar’s guru) received the Kriya Yoga meditation technique from Babaji he asked Babaji’s permission to give that teaching to others. Babaji consented but with the injunction that it be given only to those who ask for it. At that time, the early 19th century, the masses weren’t ready for it. When Yogananda came to the United States in 1920, following instructions to bring the teaching to the West, it was necessary for him to teach a very basic method (primer, if you will), because, as you wrote, we had made “no corresponding progress in understanding of the laws of our own inner nature.” He also continued to adhere to the above mentioned injunction and never wrote a description of the technique for the public but gave it only to those who asked. Now that the information age is fully upon us, that the spiritual renewal is in full swing, the injunctions are being lifted. Now the truth must be told to all who would receive it. There will still be those who will refuse to become “unplugged” and that’s OK, we can’t do anything about that, those people will simply be unmoved by the work or declare it to be false (“Rest satisfied with doing well, and leave others to talk of you as they will.” —Pythagoras). But the ones who are just beginning their search and don’t know where to turn (that number is increasing rapidly) will be led to the various sources available to give them the “ah-ha” moment that shows them a direction to take their search, whether it be your writings or someone else’s. Those who will not benefit from it will simply ignore it. Yogananda wrote in his autobiography: “Truth is for earnest seekers, not for those of idle curiosity.”

    You also wrote, “What is man’s nature that he is driven thus to fight, to kill, to blind himself to the perception of his own divinity?” The following is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to friends a few years ago:

    Sri Yukteswar, in The Holy Science, wrote of the five stages of the heart, which closely mirrors the Buddhist understanding that people live on different levels corresponding with the seven chakras. The Buddhists say that people living on the levels of chakras one, two, and three are living on animal levels.

    “Animals too cling to life, animals too, beget their future. Animals too, fight to win. So people on these levels have to be controlled by social law”—– -Joseph Campbell, Transformations of Myth Through Time, the chapter, “The Way of Enlightenment: Buddhism.” [In his chapter “Integrity” from Zen Soup, Laurence G. Boldt writes: “From the Taoist perspective, what is good is what is intuitive and natural. Codes of ethics and moral standards to live by are not demonstrations of integrity but evidence that it has already been lost.”] Campbell goes on to say that at the level of chakra one the “psyche is practically inert. It is just hanging on to life. Chakra two, erotics, is the chakra of sexuality and chakra three is possession and winning; the chakra of aggression.”

    Sri Yukteswar says: “There are five states of the human heart: dark, propelled, steady, devoted, and clean. By these different states of the heart is man classified, and his evolutionary status determined.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    comment continued
    There’s one more after this one but I’ve been having all kinds of trouble posting it.
    “In the dark state of the heart [chakras 1, 2, and 3], man harbors misconceptions (about everything). This state is a result of Ignorance and produces a man who can grasp only ideas of the physical world. He thinks that this gross material portion of creation is the only real substance in existence, and that there is nothing besides.
    “Passing beyond the first stage in God’s plan, man strives for enlightenment. He is propelled by evolutionary forces to struggle for truth. When man becomes a little enlightened he compares his experiences relating to the material creation and begins to entertain doubts as to the substantial existence of the former. His heart then becomes propelled to learn the real nature of the universe, and, struggling to clear doubts, seeks for evidence to determine what is truth [this is chakra 4].
    “This state of man is called the place between the higher and lower [the ‘higher’ being the spiritual; the ‘lower’ being the physical]. In this state men, becoming anxious for real knowledge, need help of one another; hence mutual love, the principle necessity for gaining salvation, appears in the heart.”
    Campbell: “We’re not in the field of spiritual birth, until we come up to chakra four. This is the level of the heart. You have heard the syllable Om resounding through all things. And now you want to hear the sound directly not simply through things, but directly [Aum and Om are one and the same]. This is the aspiration, then, of spiritual striving.
    “So now we are trying to put down the cravings of the mere physical body, so that a spiritual realization and amplification can be carried on up. That’s the center of transformation.
    “The next, chakra five, is visuddha. The word means ‘purgation’, the purging of the merely animal, physical system. Or rather, not purging it so much as sublimating it, making it open up, so that through its experiences the transcendent can be experienced. Chakra five is at the throat. It has similarities to chakra three in that chakra three; the energy is projected out to conquering others, while in chakra five that same energy is turned back against yourself [“Our way to Him is therefore, of necessity, in self denial”--—St. John of the Cross]. We have the deity putting down the physical man.”
    Sri Yukteswar: “Motivated by the energetic tendency of this love, man affectionately keeps company with those who destroy troubles, clear doubts, and afford peace to him, and hence avoids whatever produces the contrary result [“Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul”—Proverbs 22:24,25]; he also studies scientifically the scriptures of divine personages.
    “In this way man becomes able to appreciate what truth is, and understands the real position of the divine personages when he is fortunate in securing the Godlike company of some one of them who will kindly stand to him as his Spiritual Preceptor, Sat-Guru, or Savior. Following affectionately the holy precepts, he learns to concentrate his mind, directing his organs of sense to their common center or sensorium, the door of the internal sphere. There he perceives the luminous body and hears the holy Sound (Amen, Aum) like a stream or river; and being absorbed or baptized in it, begins to move back toward his Divinity, the Eternal Father.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    comment continued

    There’s one more after this one but I’ve been having all kinds of trouble posting it.

    “In the dark state of the heart [chakras 1, 2, and 3], man harbors misconceptions (about everything). This state is a result of Ignorance and produces a man who can grasp only ideas of the physical world. He thinks that this gross material portion of creation is the only real substance in existence, and that there is nothing besides.

    “Passing beyond the first stage in God’s plan, man strives for enlightenment. He is propelled by evolutionary forces to struggle for truth. When man becomes a little enlightened he compares his experiences relating to the material creation and begins to entertain doubts as to the substantial existence of the former. His heart then becomes propelled to learn the real nature of the universe, and, struggling to clear doubts, seeks for evidence to determine what is truth [this is chakra 4].

    “This state of man is called the place between the higher and lower [the ‘higher’ being the spiritual; the ‘lower’ being the physical]. In this state men, becoming anxious for real knowledge, need help of one another; hence mutual love, the principle necessity for gaining salvation, appears in the heart.”

    Campbell: “We’re not in the field of spiritual birth, until we come up to chakra four. This is the level of the heart. You have heard the syllable Om resounding through all things. And now you want to hear the sound directly not simply through things, but directly [Aum and Om are one and the same]. This is the aspiration, then, of spiritual striving.

    “So now we are trying to put down the cravings of the mere physical body, so that a spiritual realization and amplification can be carried on up. That’s the center of transformation.

    “The next, chakra five, is visuddha. The word means ‘purgation’, the purging of the merely animal, physical system. Or rather, not purging it so much as sublimating it, making it open up, so that through its experiences the transcendent can be experienced. Chakra five is at the throat. It has similarities to chakra three in that chakra three; the energy is projected out to conquering others, while in chakra five that same energy is turned back against yourself [“Our way to Him is therefore, of necessity, in self denial”--—St. John of the Cross]. We have the deity putting down the physical man.”

    Sri Yukteswar: “Motivated by the energetic tendency of this love, man affectionately keeps company with those who destroy troubles, clear doubts, and afford peace to him, and hence avoids whatever produces the contrary result [“Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul”—Proverbs 22:24,25]; he also studies scientifically the scriptures of divine personages.

    “In this way man becomes able to appreciate what truth is, and understands the real position of the divine personages when he is fortunate in securing the Godlike company of some one of them who will kindly stand to him as his Spiritual Preceptor, Sat-Guru, or Savior. Following affectionately the holy precepts, he learns to concentrate his mind, directing his organs of sense to their common center or sensorium, the door of the internal sphere. There he perceives the luminous body and hears the holy Sound (Amen, Aum) like a stream or river; and being absorbed or baptized in it, begins to move back toward his Divinity, the Eternal Father.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: comment continued
    Last one.
    “When man, being baptized, begins to repent and move back toward the Eternal Father and, withdrawing himself from the gross material world enters into the world of fine matter, he is said to belong to the twice-born class. In this state the heart becomes steady [chakra 5].
    “If man continues in the baptized state, remaining immersed in the holy stream, he gradually comes to a pleasant state wherein his heart wholly abandons the ideas of the external world and becomes devoted to the internal one.
    “In this devoted state of the heart (heaven) [chakra 6] man becomes nearly a perfect being. He is able to understand the whole of Darkness, Maya itself, as well as the entire creation.”
    Campbell: “And so through our effort, we have come to the vision of God, chakra six. The soul beholds its object. The energy of chakra three was brought to chakra five. Through its exercise we’ve broken through, and the energy of love, of chakra two (sex), is now experienced in its sublime form of love for God.
    “Now comes the final event, chakra seven. The soul beholds God, but the aim of the mystic is to be one with its beloved. ‘I and the Father are one.’ (John 10:30). Ramakrishna says, ‘When you behold God you are not God.’ The soul beholds its object, but the goal is to be one with that.”
    Sri Yukteswar: “Man continuing Godward further lifts up his self to where all the developments of Ignorance being withdrawn, his heart comes to a clean state, void of all external ideas. Then man becomes able to comprehend the Spiritual Light, Brahma, the Real Substance in the universe, which is the last and everlasting portion in creation.
    “In this way, when the heart becomes purified, it no longer merely reflects but manifests Spiritual Light, the Son of God; and thus being consecrated or anointed by the Spirit it becomes Christ, the Savior [chakra seven]. This is the only way through which man, being again baptized or absorbed in Spirit, can rise above the creation of Darkness and enter into the Kingdom of God; that is, the creation of light. In this state man is like Lord Jesus of Nazareth.”
    May peace be with you

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: comment continued

    Last one.

    “When man, being baptized, begins to repent and move back toward the Eternal Father and, withdrawing himself from the gross material world enters into the world of fine matter, he is said to belong to the twice-born class. In this state the heart becomes steady [chakra 5].

    “If man continues in the baptized state, remaining immersed in the holy stream, he gradually comes to a pleasant state wherein his heart wholly abandons the ideas of the external world and becomes devoted to the internal one.

    “In this devoted state of the heart (heaven) [chakra 6] man becomes nearly a perfect being. He is able to understand the whole of Darkness, Maya itself, as well as the entire creation.”

    Campbell: “And so through our effort, we have come to the vision of God, chakra six. The soul beholds its object. The energy of chakra three was brought to chakra five. Through its exercise we’ve broken through, and the energy of love, of chakra two (sex), is now experienced in its sublime form of love for God.

    “Now comes the final event, chakra seven. The soul beholds God, but the aim of the mystic is to be one with its beloved. ‘I and the Father are one.’ (John 10:30). Ramakrishna says, ‘When you behold God you are not God.’ The soul beholds its object, but the goal is to be one with that.”

    Sri Yukteswar: “Man continuing Godward further lifts up his self to where all the developments of Ignorance being withdrawn, his heart comes to a clean state, void of all external ideas. Then man becomes able to comprehend the Spiritual Light, Brahma, the Real Substance in the universe, which is the last and everlasting portion in creation.

    “In this way, when the heart becomes purified, it no longer merely reflects but manifests Spiritual Light, the Son of God; and thus being consecrated or anointed by the Spirit it becomes Christ, the Savior [chakra seven]. This is the only way through which man, being again baptized or absorbed in Spirit, can rise above the creation of Darkness and enter into the Kingdom of God; that is, the creation of light. In this state man is like Lord Jesus of Nazareth.”

    May peace be with you

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Well put.
    The question about the “nature of man” was more rhetorical than anything, but I think you gleamed that.
    I find a striking similarity between your allusion to the 5 Buddhist states of heart and Spiral Dynamics.
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Well put.

    The question about the “nature of man” was more rhetorical than anything, but I think you gleamed that.

    I find a striking similarity between your allusion to the 5 Buddhist states of heart and Spiral Dynamics.

    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: comment continued
    I’m very particular about what I allow people to utter regarding the life and times of Jesus Khrestus, but there was no problem with any of the references there.
    Actually, I suppose my biggest qualm with the issue is when people minimize his impact and abilities.
    The religion set up in his name had no resemblance to his own agenda.
    Beyond that, these 3 pages have inspired me to set in motion an experiment, a process – which is the best we can ever hope for when you show a path.
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: comment continued

    I’m very particular about what I allow people to utter regarding the life and times of Jesus Khrestus, but there was no problem with any of the references there.

    Actually, I suppose my biggest qualm with the issue is when people minimize his impact and abilities.

    The religion set up in his name had no resemblance to his own agenda.

    Beyond that, these 3 pages have inspired me to set in motion an experiment, a process – which is the best we can ever hope for when you show a path.

    Namaste.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: comment continued
    I agree but am curious as to where the spelling “Khrestus” comes from, and what the experiment will entail.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: comment continued

    I agree but am curious as to where the spelling “Khrestus” comes from, and what the experiment will entail.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    I would like to know more about Spiral Dynamics.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    I would like to know more about Spiral Dynamics.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: comment continued
    According to the most ancient documents, “Khrestus” was the family name of both twins – Jesus and Judas.
    His brothers and sisters (Lazarus, Simon, etc) didn’t have the same family name because they were all born from different men.
    The twins were spawned after a roman soldier raped Mary of Bethlehem. The soldier went on to become Emporer of Rome – which is where Judas got his claim to the throne that enabled him to escape capital punishment.
    Mary of Bethlehem went to stay with her uncle – King Herod. The twins (and their siblings) grew up there in Herod’s court.
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: comment continued

    According to the most ancient documents, “Khrestus” was the family name of both twins – Jesus and Judas.

    His brothers and sisters (Lazarus, Simon, etc) didn’t have the same family name because they were all born from different men.

    The twins were spawned after a roman soldier raped Mary of Bethlehem. The soldier went on to become Emporer of Rome – which is where Judas got his claim to the throne that enabled him to escape capital punishment.

    Mary of Bethlehem went to stay with her uncle – King Herod. The twins (and their siblings) grew up there in Herod’s court.

    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    The best synopsis of it that I’ve seen (which includes a tremendous breadth of information and research), was in Ken Wilbur’s “A Theory of Everything: An Integral Vision for Business, Politics, Science, and Spirituality.”
    There’s a whole lot of stuff to pull from that book, but it’s not an easy read.
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    The best synopsis of it that I’ve seen (which includes a tremendous breadth of information and research), was in Ken Wilbur’s “A Theory of Everything: An Integral Vision for Business, Politics, Science, and Spirituality.”

    There’s a whole lot of stuff to pull from that book, but it’s not an easy read.

    Namaste.

  • http://enlightened1.livejournal.com/ enlightened1

    the question that has raised itself in my mind while reading this revolves around the latter part of the entry. “psychic awareness” (for the sake of keeping it simple).
    in a world so saturated with ego, how does one not only admit to himself that he might have such an ability within him, but also go about explaining it to others without comming off as a babbling, head-in-the-clouds, nose-in-the-air, im-better-than-you fool?

  • http://enlightened1.livejournal.com/ enlightened1

    the question that has raised itself in my mind while reading this revolves around the latter part of the entry. “psychic awareness” (for the sake of keeping it simple).
    in a world so saturated with ego, how does one not only admit to himself that he might have such an ability within him, but also go about explaining it to others without comming off as a babbling, head-in-the-clouds, nose-in-the-air, im-better-than-you fool?

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Good question.
    People mistake my intentions for being ego-driven all the time.
    I would say to just walk your path, and you’ll find the guideposts that you need, not that you want.
    There’s a bit more on that subject in pt. 2.
    If I get around to doing it, a few posts on Actualism would also help.
    When you see the Truth, a thousand nay-sayers just waste their breath. It’s not because you’re so locked in one paradigm, but that you are seeing through the lesser paradigms.
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Good question.

    People mistake my intentions for being ego-driven all the time.

    I would say to just walk your path, and you’ll find the guideposts that you need, not that you want.

    There’s a bit more on that subject in pt. 2.

    If I get around to doing it, a few posts on Actualism would also help.

    When you see the Truth, a thousand nay-sayers just waste their breath. It’s not because you’re so locked in one paradigm, but that you are seeing through the lesser paradigms.

    Namaste.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: comment continued
    And all this time I thought you were a member of some kind of secret society. Silly me, you’re just into ancient documents.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: comment continued

    And all this time I thought you were a member of some kind of secret society. Silly me, you’re just into ancient documents.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: comment continued
    Did I say I wasn’t a member of any “Secret Society”?
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: comment continued

    Did I say I wasn’t a member of any “Secret Society”?

    Namaste.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents, hi
    Sorry this took so long but I have been very busy. Anyway, I believe you made an error in suggesting that the enemies against Arjuna are his family, teachers and friends, though your point is well taken.
    Verse I:
    “Dhritarashtra said: ‘On the holy plain of Kurukshetra (dharmakshetra kurukshetra), when my offspring and the sons of Pandu had gathered together, eager for battle, what did they, O Sanjaya?’”
    Yogananda’s commentary:
    “The blind king Dhritarashtra (the blind mind) enquired through the honest Sanjaya (impartial introspection): ‘When my offspring, the Kurus (the wicked impulsive mental and sense tendencies), and the sons of the virtuous Pandu (the pure discriminative tendencies) gathered together on the dharmakshetra (holy plain) of Kurukshetra (the bodily field of activity), eager to do battle for supremacy, what was the outcome?’
    “The earnest enquiry by the blind King Dhritarashtra, seeking an unbiased report from the impartial Sanjaya as to how fared the battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas (sons of Pandu) at Kurukshetra, is metaphorically the question to be asked by the spiritual aspirant as he reviews daily the events of his own righteous battle from which he seeks the victory of Self-realization. Through honest introspection he analyzes the deeds and assesses the strengths of the opposing armies of his good and bad tendencies: self-control versus sense indulgence, discriminative intelligence opposed by mental sense inclinations, spiritual resolve in meditation contested by mental resistance and physical restlessness, and divine soul-consciousness against the ignorance and magnetic attraction of the lower ego-nature.
    “The battlefield of these contending forces is Kurukshetra (Kuru, from the Sanskrit root kri, ‘work, material action’; and ksetra, ‘field’). This ‘field of action’ is the human body with its physical, mental, and soul faculties, the field on which all activities of one’s life take place. It is referred to in this Gita stanza as Dharmakshetra (dharma, i.e., righteousness, virtue, holiness; thus, holy plain or field), for on this field the righteous battle is waged between the virtues of the soul’s discriminative intelligence (sons of Pandu) and the ignoble, uncontrolled activities of the blind mind (the Kurus, or offspring of the blind King Dhritarashtra).
    “Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra refers also, respectively, to religious and spiritual duties and activities (those of the yogi in meditation) as contrasted with mundane responsibilities and activities. Thus, in this deeper metaphysical interpretation, Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra signifies the inner bodily field on which the spiritual action of yoga meditation takes place for the attainment of Self-realization: the plain of the cerebrospinal axis and its seven subtle centers of life and divine consciousness.
    “Competing on this field are two opposing forces or magnetic poles: discriminative intelligence (buddhi and the sense-conscious mind (manas). Buddhi, the pure discriminating intellect, is allegorically represented as Pandu, husband of Kunti (the mother of Arjuna and the other Pandava princes who uphold the righteous principles of nivritti, renunciation of worldliness). The name Pandu derives from pand, ‘white’—a metaphorical implication of the clarity of a pure discriminating intellect. Manas is allegorically represented as the blind King Dhritarashtra, sire of the one hundred Kurus, or sensory impressions and inclinations, which are all bent toward pravritti, worldly enjoyment. Buddhi draws its right discernment from the superconsciousness of the soul manifesting in the causal seats of consciousness in the spiritual cerebrospinal centers. Manas, the sense mind, the subtle magnetic pole turned outward toward the world of matter is in the pons Varolii, which physiologically is ever busy with sensory coordination. Thus, buddhi intelligence draws the consciousness toward truth or the eternal realities, soul consciousness or Self-realization. Manas or sense mind repels the consciousness from truth and engages it in the external sensory activities of the body, and thus with the world of delusive relativities, maya.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents, hi

    Sorry this took so long but I have been very busy. Anyway, I believe you made an error in suggesting that the enemies against Arjuna are his family, teachers and friends, though your point is well taken.

    Verse I:
    “Dhritarashtra said: ‘On the holy plain of Kurukshetra (dharmakshetra kurukshetra), when my offspring and the sons of Pandu had gathered together, eager for battle, what did they, O Sanjaya?’”

    Yogananda’s commentary:

    “The blind king Dhritarashtra (the blind mind) enquired through the honest Sanjaya (impartial introspection): ‘When my offspring, the Kurus (the wicked impulsive mental and sense tendencies), and the sons of the virtuous Pandu (the pure discriminative tendencies) gathered together on the dharmakshetra (holy plain) of Kurukshetra (the bodily field of activity), eager to do battle for supremacy, what was the outcome?’

    “The earnest enquiry by the blind King Dhritarashtra, seeking an unbiased report from the impartial Sanjaya as to how fared the battle between the Kurus and the Pandavas (sons of Pandu) at Kurukshetra, is metaphorically the question to be asked by the spiritual aspirant as he reviews daily the events of his own righteous battle from which he seeks the victory of Self-realization. Through honest introspection he analyzes the deeds and assesses the strengths of the opposing armies of his good and bad tendencies: self-control versus sense indulgence, discriminative intelligence opposed by mental sense inclinations, spiritual resolve in meditation contested by mental resistance and physical restlessness, and divine soul-consciousness against the ignorance and magnetic attraction of the lower ego-nature.

    “The battlefield of these contending forces is Kurukshetra (Kuru, from the Sanskrit root kri, ‘work, material action’; and ksetra, ‘field’). This ‘field of action’ is the human body with its physical, mental, and soul faculties, the field on which all activities of one’s life take place. It is referred to in this Gita stanza as Dharmakshetra (dharma, i.e., righteousness, virtue, holiness; thus, holy plain or field), for on this field the righteous battle is waged between the virtues of the soul’s discriminative intelligence (sons of Pandu) and the ignoble, uncontrolled activities of the blind mind (the Kurus, or offspring of the blind King Dhritarashtra).

    “Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra refers also, respectively, to religious and spiritual duties and activities (those of the yogi in meditation) as contrasted with mundane responsibilities and activities. Thus, in this deeper metaphysical interpretation, Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra signifies the inner bodily field on which the spiritual action of yoga meditation takes place for the attainment of Self-realization: the plain of the cerebrospinal axis and its seven subtle centers of life and divine consciousness.

    “Competing on this field are two opposing forces or magnetic poles: discriminative intelligence (buddhi and the sense-conscious mind (manas). Buddhi, the pure discriminating intellect, is allegorically represented as Pandu, husband of Kunti (the mother of Arjuna and the other Pandava princes who uphold the righteous principles of nivritti, renunciation of worldliness). The name Pandu derives from pand, ‘white’—a metaphorical implication of the clarity of a pure discriminating intellect. Manas is allegorically represented as the blind King Dhritarashtra, sire of the one hundred Kurus, or sensory impressions and inclinations, which are all bent toward pravritti, worldly enjoyment. Buddhi draws its right discernment from the superconsciousness of the soul manifesting in the causal seats of consciousness in the spiritual cerebrospinal centers. Manas, the sense mind, the subtle magnetic pole turned outward toward the world of matter is in the pons Varolii, which physiologically is ever busy with sensory coordination. Thus, buddhi intelligence draws the consciousness toward truth or the eternal realities, soul consciousness or Self-realization. Manas or sense mind repels the consciousness from truth and engages it in the external sensory activities of the body, and thus with the world of delusive relativities, maya.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    continued
    “The name Dhritarashtra derives from dhrta, ‘held, supported, drawn tight (reins).’ And rastra, ‘kingdom,’ and raj, ‘to rule.’ By implication, we have the symbolic meaning, dhrtam rastram yena, ‘who upholds the kingdom (of the senses),’ or ‘who rules by holding tightly the reins (of the senses).’
    “The mind (manas, or sense consciousness) gives coordination to the senses as the reins keep together the several horses of a chariot. The body is the chariot; the soul is the owner of the chariot; intelligence is the charioteer; the senses are the horses. The mind is said to be blind because it cannot see without the help of the senses and intelligence. The reins of a chariot receive and relay the impulses from the steeds and the guidance of the charioteer. Similarly, the blind mind on its own neither cognizes nor exerts guidance, but merely receives the impressions from the senses and relays the conclusions and instructions of the intelligence. If the intelligence is governed by buddhi, the pure discriminative power, the senses are controlled; if the intelligence is ruled by material desires, the senses are wild and unruly.
    “Sanjaya means, literally, completely victorious; ‘one who has conquered himself.’ He alone who is not self-centered has the ability to see clearly and to be impartial. Thus, in the Gita, Sanjaya is divine insight; for the aspiring devotee, Sanjaya represents the power of impartial intuitive self-analysis, discerning introspection. It is the ability to stand aside, observe oneself without any prejudice, and judge accurately. Thoughts may be present without one’s conscious awareness. Introspection is that power of intuition by which the consciousness can watch its thoughts. It does not reason, it feels—not with biased emotion, but with clear, calm intuition.
    “In the Mahabharata, of which the Bhagavad Gita is a part, the text of the Gita is introduced by the great rishi (sage) Vyasa bestowing on Sanjaya the spiritual power of being able to see from a distance everything taking place over the entire battlefield, so that he could give an account to the blind King Dhritarashtra as the events unfold. Therefore, one would expect the king’s enquiry in the first verse to be in the present tense. Author Vyasa purposely had Sanjaya narrate the Gita dialogue retrospectively, and used a past tense of the verb (‘What did they’), as a clear hint to discerning students that the Gita is referring only incidentally to a historical battle on the plain of Kurukshetra in northern India. Primarily, Vyasa is describing a universal battle—the one that rages daily in man’s life. Had Vyasa wished merely to report the progress of an actual battle that was taking place at the moment on the field of Kurukshetra, he would have had Dhritarashtra speak to the messenger Sanjaya in the present tense: ‘My children and the sons of Pandu—what are they doing now?’
    “This is an important point. The timeless message of the Bhagavad Gita does not refer only to one historical battle, but to the cosmic conflict between good and evil: life as a series of battles between Spirit and matter, soul and body, life and death, knowledge and ignorance, health and disease, changelessness and transitoriness, self-control and temptations, discrimination and the blind sense-mind. The past tense of the verb in the first stanza is therefore employed by Vyasa to indicate that the power of one’s introspection is being invoked to review the conflicts of the day in one’s mind in order to determine the favorable or unfavorable outcome.”

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    continued

    “The name Dhritarashtra derives from dhrta, ‘held, supported, drawn tight (reins).’ And rastra, ‘kingdom,’ and raj, ‘to rule.’ By implication, we have the symbolic meaning, dhrtam rastram yena, ‘who upholds the kingdom (of the senses),’ or ‘who rules by holding tightly the reins (of the senses).’

    “The mind (manas, or sense consciousness) gives coordination to the senses as the reins keep together the several horses of a chariot. The body is the chariot; the soul is the owner of the chariot; intelligence is the charioteer; the senses are the horses. The mind is said to be blind because it cannot see without the help of the senses and intelligence. The reins of a chariot receive and relay the impulses from the steeds and the guidance of the charioteer. Similarly, the blind mind on its own neither cognizes nor exerts guidance, but merely receives the impressions from the senses and relays the conclusions and instructions of the intelligence. If the intelligence is governed by buddhi, the pure discriminative power, the senses are controlled; if the intelligence is ruled by material desires, the senses are wild and unruly.

    “Sanjaya means, literally, completely victorious; ‘one who has conquered himself.’ He alone who is not self-centered has the ability to see clearly and to be impartial. Thus, in the Gita, Sanjaya is divine insight; for the aspiring devotee, Sanjaya represents the power of impartial intuitive self-analysis, discerning introspection. It is the ability to stand aside, observe oneself without any prejudice, and judge accurately. Thoughts may be present without one’s conscious awareness. Introspection is that power of intuition by which the consciousness can watch its thoughts. It does not reason, it feels—not with biased emotion, but with clear, calm intuition.

    “In the Mahabharata, of which the Bhagavad Gita is a part, the text of the Gita is introduced by the great rishi (sage) Vyasa bestowing on Sanjaya the spiritual power of being able to see from a distance everything taking place over the entire battlefield, so that he could give an account to the blind King Dhritarashtra as the events unfold. Therefore, one would expect the king’s enquiry in the first verse to be in the present tense. Author Vyasa purposely had Sanjaya narrate the Gita dialogue retrospectively, and used a past tense of the verb (‘What did they’), as a clear hint to discerning students that the Gita is referring only incidentally to a historical battle on the plain of Kurukshetra in northern India. Primarily, Vyasa is describing a universal battle—the one that rages daily in man’s life. Had Vyasa wished merely to report the progress of an actual battle that was taking place at the moment on the field of Kurukshetra, he would have had Dhritarashtra speak to the messenger Sanjaya in the present tense: ‘My children and the sons of Pandu—what are they doing now?’

    “This is an important point. The timeless message of the Bhagavad Gita does not refer only to one historical battle, but to the cosmic conflict between good and evil: life as a series of battles between Spirit and matter, soul and body, life and death, knowledge and ignorance, health and disease, changelessness and transitoriness, self-control and temptations, discrimination and the blind sense-mind. The past tense of the verb in the first stanza is therefore employed by Vyasa to indicate that the power of one’s introspection is being invoked to review the conflicts of the day in one’s mind in order to determine the favorable or unfavorable outcome.”

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents
    I lothe commentaries like that. I avoid the commentaries of the I Ching like the plague.
    Anyway, ignoring that, no, i did not make a mistake, however, someone else may have a different interpretation, as, no doubt, others have in their momentous commentaries.
    The family and friends were personifications of weaknesses within Arjuna. Or, in other cases, he had to leave the weak behind. This is a direct parallel to when Jesus Khrestus said that he didn’t come to strengthen the family, he came to tear it asunder, turning father against son, daughter against mother.
    It was an issue of duty, release and submission to the Godhead.
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents

    I lothe commentaries like that. I avoid the commentaries of the I Ching like the plague.

    Anyway, ignoring that, no, i did not make a mistake, however, someone else may have a different interpretation, as, no doubt, others have in their momentous commentaries.

    The family and friends were personifications of weaknesses within Arjuna. Or, in other cases, he had to leave the weak behind. This is a direct parallel to when Jesus Khrestus said that he didn’t come to strengthen the family, he came to tear it asunder, turning father against son, daughter against mother.

    It was an issue of duty, release and submission to the Godhead.

    Namaste.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents
    I generally loathe commentaries myself, but they are usually by westerners who have no real understanding of the subtleties of the work. Yogananda is uniguely qualified to translate and comment on the Bhagavad Gita for the western mind as he grew up the son of a railroad executive who, along with his wife, was a devote Hindu and disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya. Yogananda was not only intelligent but was given instructions from an early age in the Hindu scriptures. In his teens he became a disciple of Swami Sri Yukteswar, who also was a disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya (a man who through his teachings was responsible for many illumined teachers throughout India). It was Yukteswar who encouraged Yogananda to attend the local university and get his degree. Yogananda spent many years teaching in his own schools before coming to the United States where he spent the last 30 or so years, learning our language well enough to become a sought after speaker and the writer of many poems, songs, and books.
    Basically what I’m saying is this is a man who knew what he was talking about and you might do well to get off your high horse and look a little more closely at what he has to say. You sometimes remind me of the younger Confucius when he visited Li R to receive his wisdom. Part of what Li R said to Confucius was, “Put away your proud air and many desires-—your insinuating habit and wild will. They are of no advantage to you.”
    The thing is that even though Confucius was widely respected for his wisdom, he was humble enough to know to seek and appreciate the truth from one who knew more than he. And if those words that Lao Tze spoke to Confucius were true for Confucius, how much more true are they for ones such as us?

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents

    I generally loathe commentaries myself, but they are usually by westerners who have no real understanding of the subtleties of the work. Yogananda is uniguely qualified to translate and comment on the Bhagavad Gita for the western mind as he grew up the son of a railroad executive who, along with his wife, was a devote Hindu and disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya. Yogananda was not only intelligent but was given instructions from an early age in the Hindu scriptures. In his teens he became a disciple of Swami Sri Yukteswar, who also was a disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya (a man who through his teachings was responsible for many illumined teachers throughout India). It was Yukteswar who encouraged Yogananda to attend the local university and get his degree. Yogananda spent many years teaching in his own schools before coming to the United States where he spent the last 30 or so years, learning our language well enough to become a sought after speaker and the writer of many poems, songs, and books.

    Basically what I’m saying is this is a man who knew what he was talking about and you might do well to get off your high horse and look a little more closely at what he has to say. You sometimes remind me of the younger Confucius when he visited Li R to receive his wisdom. Part of what Li R said to Confucius was, “Put away your proud air and many desires-—your insinuating habit and wild will. They are of no advantage to you.”

    The thing is that even though Confucius was widely respected for his wisdom, he was humble enough to know to seek and appreciate the truth from one who knew more than he. And if those words that Lao Tze spoke to Confucius were true for Confucius, how much more true are they for ones such as us?

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents
    Points taken. I am vaguely familiar with the man’s works and his intentions. I have no desire to further my understanding of him or his works.
    I considered the issue that I may have had an incorrect interpretation, so I forwarded the query on to a few initiate buddies. They replied with an almost verbatim responses: the family/friends were personifications of Arjuna’s weaknesses.
    They also reiterated that although Arjuna had Krishna on his “side”, he was still relegated to fight through the forces of Universe.
    The Gita is a tremendous work, and it’s open to several layers of understandings. I would never be so bold as to claim that my interpretation is the *only* interpretation, only that it is a prevailing interpretation with significant parallels in most other initiate/mystery systems.
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents

    Points taken. I am vaguely familiar with the man’s works and his intentions. I have no desire to further my understanding of him or his works.

    I considered the issue that I may have had an incorrect interpretation, so I forwarded the query on to a few initiate buddies. They replied with an almost verbatim responses: the family/friends were personifications of Arjuna’s weaknesses.

    They also reiterated that although Arjuna had Krishna on his “side”, he was still relegated to fight through the forces of Universe.

    The Gita is a tremendous work, and it’s open to several layers of understandings. I would never be so bold as to claim that my interpretation is the *only* interpretation, only that it is a prevailing interpretation with significant parallels in most other initiate/mystery systems.

    Namaste.

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents
    I have no problem with family/friends being personifications of Arjuna’s weaknesses, even though The Pandus are Arjuna and his brothers while the army against them is the Kurus, who strove against the Pandus for rulership of the kingdom. They were, however, blood relatives sharing the same grandfather but not the same grandmother as well as being raised and educated together. It’s really a non-issue as far as what the work is really all about. The story goes that the Pandus gained control of the kingdom but the Kurus tricked them out of it and exiled the Pandus who later returned to reclaim the kingdom. This is an allegory for what occurs when a soul is born into a body. The soul is the Pandus and it loses its rulership when the ego (Kurus) takes over and through its control over the senses essentially exiles the soul.
    Yogananda wrote: “…the historical background of a battle and the contestants therein have been used for the purpose of illustrating the spiritual and psychological battle going on with the soul and the blind sense-infatuated mind under the delusive influence of the ego.”
    Where I was really having a problem was when you implied that the Gita was saying Arjuna’s enemies were literally his friends and family, even using Matthew 2:36 to make your point. What I’m saying is there is a deeper understanding of this work and certainly Matthew 2:36 is true for the spiritual aspirant as is, “Let the dead bury the dead.” But the lesson the author of the Gita was getting across is better compared to John 1:15,16: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
    Compare what others had to say on the subject:
    “…this world can serve the goals of sensual experience or spiritual freedom.” — Patanjali
    “Where lusts and desires are deep, the springs of the heavenly are shallow” — Zhuangzi
    “The primal spirit [soul] loves stillness, and the conscious spirit [ego] loves movement. In its movement it remains bound to feelings and desires. Day and night it wastes the primal seed till the energy is entirely used up. If one wants to maintain the primal spirit one must without fail, first subjugate the perceiving spirit [ego]. The way to subjugate it is through the circulation of light [Kriya Yoga meditation].” —Secret of the Golden Flower (brackets are my additions)
    “In men under maya or natural law, the flow of life energy is toward the outward world; the currents are wasted and abused in the senses. The practice of Kriya reverses the flow; life force is mentally guided to the inner cosmos and becomes reunited with subtle spinal energies. By such reinforcement of life force, the yogi’s body and brain cells are renewed by a spiritual elixir.” —Yogananda –
    Sri Yukteswar spoke of the same thing with these words: “The wise man defeats his planets—which is to say, his past—by transferring his allegiance from the creation to the creator. The more he realizes his unity with Spirit, the less he can be dominated by matter.” Which is similar to James 4:4: “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” A little harsher than the way Sri Yukteswar said it, but then Jesus was talking to men who probably needed to be hit over the head a bit, having had the law of Moses drilled into them from generation to generation (reminiscent of how hellfire and brimstone was drilled into us for generations).

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents

    I have no problem with family/friends being personifications of Arjuna’s weaknesses, even though The Pandus are Arjuna and his brothers while the army against them is the Kurus, who strove against the Pandus for rulership of the kingdom. They were, however, blood relatives sharing the same grandfather but not the same grandmother as well as being raised and educated together. It’s really a non-issue as far as what the work is really all about. The story goes that the Pandus gained control of the kingdom but the Kurus tricked them out of it and exiled the Pandus who later returned to reclaim the kingdom. This is an allegory for what occurs when a soul is born into a body. The soul is the Pandus and it loses its rulership when the ego (Kurus) takes over and through its control over the senses essentially exiles the soul.

    Yogananda wrote: “…the historical background of a battle and the contestants therein have been used for the purpose of illustrating the spiritual and psychological battle going on with the soul and the blind sense-infatuated mind under the delusive influence of the ego.”

    Where I was really having a problem was when you implied that the Gita was saying Arjuna’s enemies were literally his friends and family, even using Matthew 2:36 to make your point. What I’m saying is there is a deeper understanding of this work and certainly Matthew 2:36 is true for the spiritual aspirant as is, “Let the dead bury the dead.” But the lesson the author of the Gita was getting across is better compared to John 1:15,16: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

    Compare what others had to say on the subject:

    “…this world can serve the goals of sensual experience or spiritual freedom.” — Patanjali

    “Where lusts and desires are deep, the springs of the heavenly are shallow” — Zhuangzi

    “The primal spirit [soul] loves stillness, and the conscious spirit [ego] loves movement. In its movement it remains bound to feelings and desires. Day and night it wastes the primal seed till the energy is entirely used up. If one wants to maintain the primal spirit one must without fail, first subjugate the perceiving spirit [ego]. The way to subjugate it is through the circulation of light [Kriya Yoga meditation].” —Secret of the Golden Flower (brackets are my additions)

    “In men under maya or natural law, the flow of life energy is toward the outward world; the currents are wasted and abused in the senses. The practice of Kriya reverses the flow; life force is mentally guided to the inner cosmos and becomes reunited with subtle spinal energies. By such reinforcement of life force, the yogi’s body and brain cells are renewed by a spiritual elixir.” —Yogananda –

    Sri Yukteswar spoke of the same thing with these words: “The wise man defeats his planets—which is to say, his past—by transferring his allegiance from the creation to the creator. The more he realizes his unity with Spirit, the less he can be dominated by matter.” Which is similar to James 4:4: “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” A little harsher than the way Sri Yukteswar said it, but then Jesus was talking to men who probably needed to be hit over the head a bit, having had the law of Moses drilled into them from generation to generation (reminiscent of how hellfire and brimstone was drilled into us for generations).

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    continued
    Every spiritual aspirant goes through many stages. The beginning stage is making a conscious effort to live virtuously. The next step requires asceticism. A good example of this is when a man approached Jesus and asked what he could do to enter the kingdom of heaven and Jesus said to follow the commandments (live a virtuous life). The man responded that he was already doing that. Jesus told him to sell what he had and give it to the poor and follow him. This is the stage where Matthew 2:36 comes in.
    But the Gita speaks of so much more. In Yogananda’s words: “The Bhagavad Gita has a threefold reading: material, astral, and spiritual, applicable to man on all levels of his being, his body, mind, and soul. Incarnate man is encased in a physical body of inert matter, which is animated by a subtle inner astral body of life energy and sensory powers; and both his astral and his physical body have evolved from a causal body of consciousness, which is the fine covering that gives individual existence and form to the soul. In this overview, the material interpretation of the Gita pertains to the physical and social duties and well-being of man. The astral is from the moral and psychological standpoint—man’s character resulting from the astral Nature-born sensory and life-energy principles that influence the formation of habits, inclinations, and desires. And the spiritual interpretation is from the perspective of the divine nature and realization of the soul.”
    I understand your saying, “I have no desire to further my understanding of him or his works.” I felt something similar to your suggestions that I read certain works you were familiar with. We both have a direction we are inspired to travel and one is not better than another, but hopefully we can share what we have learned with each other openly and perhaps that will occasionally work with what we know in such a way as to create an ah-ha moment. And if not, well, that will be OK too.
    Peace

  • http://kwangjse.livejournal.com/ kwangjse

    continued

    Every spiritual aspirant goes through many stages. The beginning stage is making a conscious effort to live virtuously. The next step requires asceticism. A good example of this is when a man approached Jesus and asked what he could do to enter the kingdom of heaven and Jesus said to follow the commandments (live a virtuous life). The man responded that he was already doing that. Jesus told him to sell what he had and give it to the poor and follow him. This is the stage where Matthew 2:36 comes in.

    But the Gita speaks of so much more. In Yogananda’s words: “The Bhagavad Gita has a threefold reading: material, astral, and spiritual, applicable to man on all levels of his being, his body, mind, and soul. Incarnate man is encased in a physical body of inert matter, which is animated by a subtle inner astral body of life energy and sensory powers; and both his astral and his physical body have evolved from a causal body of consciousness, which is the fine covering that gives individual existence and form to the soul. In this overview, the material interpretation of the Gita pertains to the physical and social duties and well-being of man. The astral is from the moral and psychological standpoint—man’s character resulting from the astral Nature-born sensory and life-energy principles that influence the formation of habits, inclinations, and desires. And the spiritual interpretation is from the perspective of the divine nature and realization of the soul.”

    I understand your saying, “I have no desire to further my understanding of him or his works.” I felt something similar to your suggestions that I read certain works you were familiar with. We both have a direction we are inspired to travel and one is not better than another, but hopefully we can share what we have learned with each other openly and perhaps that will occasionally work with what we know in such a way as to create an ah-ha moment. And if not, well, that will be OK too.

    Peace

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents
    Cool beans.
    Just a misinterpretation due to a lack of clarity.
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: Arrayed against Arjuna are the legions of his enemies, among whom are his brothers, his parents

    Cool beans.

    Just a misinterpretation due to a lack of clarity.

    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: continued
    Again, I totally agree.
    There are things that I can say that can inspire your own research, other information is just FYI. I couldn’t possibly expect you to chase every reference, nor could you expect similar.
    However, that’s not to say that I won’t (or haven’t) followed up on some. That’s what the game’s all about.
    I don’t think aesceticism is requisite to the path. At all, at all.
    Tantrics and Thelemia is enough proof of that.
    However, aesceticism is central to many systems. Hell, if it weren’t for aesceticism we wouldn’t have tantrics – spawned as a harsh rebuke of the yogic/buddhist aescetics.
    Namaste.

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    Re: continued

    Again, I totally agree.

    There are things that I can say that can inspire your own research, other information is just FYI. I couldn’t possibly expect you to chase every reference, nor could you expect similar.

    However, that’s not to say that I won’t (or haven’t) followed up on some. That’s what the game’s all about.

    I don’t think aesceticism is requisite to the path. At all, at all.

    Tantrics and Thelemia is enough proof of that.

    However, aesceticism is central to many systems. Hell, if it weren’t for aesceticism we wouldn’t have tantrics – spawned as a harsh rebuke of the yogic/buddhist aescetics.

    Namaste.

  • http://sekay.livejournal.com/ sekay

    Well Ill have to say
    this is all a lot of input for me to digest in one sitting
    especially the replies from your friend kwangjse.
    Ill have to sit and reflect on this one for a bit, even though I do understand the basic concept.
    good show, old boy

  • http://sekay.livejournal.com/ sekay

    Well Ill have to say

    this is all a lot of input for me to digest in one sitting
    especially the replies from your friend kwangjse.

    Ill have to sit and reflect on this one for a bit, even though I do understand the basic concept.

    good show, old boy

  • http://sophrosyne.radical.r30.net/wordpress/ admin

    I dunno if I'll put part 2 up today or tomorrow. I don't want to have it get overwhelming and have people not read it – even though it takes a whopping 3 minutes to read. It's the amount of text, I guess.

    Namaste.

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