Greek Kabala by Jack
Courtis
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We are familiar with Hebrew kabala to such an extent, that we assume that this is the only kind of kabala there is. Not so. The basic point about kabala is that in languages that have no symbols for numbers, letters stand for numbers and numbers stand for letters. This was true of both the Greek and Hebrew languages at the time of Christ. The significance of this is that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek. Therefore there was a Hebrew kabala and there was a Greek kabala. Thus a word could be translated into a number and a number could be translated into a word. The classic example of Hebrew kabala is from the Old Testament: •
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In Genesis we are told of the Serpent who is called in Hebrew, Nachash. The total numerical value of his name is 358. At the time of Christ, the Jews were expecting the Messiah, whose numerical value is also 358. Thus the Serpent that brings the Fall is also the Messiah who brings the Redemption. But there is more. The number 358 consists of the 3 rd, 4th th and 5 numbers in the Fibonacci series: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89….. This series of numbers is related to the Greek mystical number ϕ also known as the golden number. It is the way in which to calculate and draw geometrically, the mean and extreme ratios. In turn, this was one way in which the Greeks taught the abstract principle of the Logos. Further, the numbers 3, 4 and 5, describe the Pythagorean Triangle. Its internal angles are 0 0 0 90 , 37 and 53 . The Hebrew word mem (water) has the 2
value of 90. This is the "living water" or "elixir of life", of the Rosicrucian Philosophers. In the Confessio Fraternitatis, the Rosicrucians give 37 reasons for their existence. The Hebrew word ehben (stone) has a value of 53. This is the "Stone" of the Rosicrucian alchemists. Finally, the Hebrew name Moses has a value of 345. These are random examples to give you an idea of what is going on. Now for the classic example of Greek kabala in the New Testament, from the Apocalypse of John ch 13 v 18 (King James version): "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." In Greek, the key phrase: "….. " µ (and his number is 666). What does this mean? The Greek numerical value of the entire key phrase is calculated as follows:
..... 31 + 70 +
.... .... 430
+
µ 1171
............ +
666
......... .. = 2,368
So what? It all depends on whether 2,368 has a specific meaning with theological significance. Try this: Jesus Christ = Ιησους Χριστος = 888 + 1480 = 2,368 This is not the kind of theology that either Jews or Christians are used to. However it points way to the useboth of kabala as a source of inspiration and the revelation. Putvalid simply, the Old and New Testaments are written in code and it takes a great deal of effort to understand it. However cracking the code brings Wisdom and Understanding in their kabalistic sense. So much has been written about Hebrew kabala that it is not proposed to repeat much of that here. Instead we shall concentrate on Greek kabala in order to gain an appreciation of early Christianity. The Greek and Hebrew alphabets have a common srcin and therefore it is not surprising that we shall find similarities 3
between the two forms of kabala. Thus the Greek and Hebrew Trees of Life have a very similar structure but subtle differences in their paths. First the Hebrew Tree. Its structure is derived from Genesis Ch 1 where: •
There are 10 references to "God said";
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There There are are 3 7 references references to to "God "God made"; saw"; and There are 12 single references to "God".
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Thus there are 10 sefirot, 3 horizontal paths, 7 vertical paths and 12 diagonal paths. The Hebrew Tree of Life is shown below.
The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters and an internal structure of 3 Mothers, 7 Doubles and 12 Singles. The Greek alphabet has 24 letters and an internal structure of 5 alchemical letters, 7 planetary letters and 12 zodiacal letters. The correlation is very close. The difference is that the 3 Hebrew Mothers consist of only 3 alchemical letters: alef (air), mem (water) and shin (fire); whereas the 5 Greek alchemical letters correlate to all 5 elements, aether, air, fire, water, earth. Thus the Hebrew scheme
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lacks the activating principle of aether and the grounding principle of earth. Both the Greek and Hebrew Trees have 10 spheres: in Greek sferes (plural) and sfera (singular); while in Hebrew sefirot (plural) and sefira (singular). Notice the similarities? We have seen the10derivation theGreek 10 sefirot the Hebrew How are the spheres ofofthe Treeofderived? In theTree. Apocalypse of John 1:8, Christ says:
Εγω ειµι το ... Α και . το .. Ω ..... αρχη ... και τελος I am the Alfa and the Omega beginning and ending How many words do you see? There are 10. For reasons that we shall see in Part 2 of this series, αρχη is more properly translated as "First Principle". Further, τελος means "ending" in the Aristotelian sense of "purpose". That is in the First Principle there is the purpose for which the "I am" exists. All of this becomes intelligible on the Greek Tree of Life. Both Trees have 3 pillars with similar meanings. We shall deal with that topic separately. Let us now turn our attention to the 10 spheres of the Greek Tree of Life and its 24 paths. The names of the spheres and pillars are adopted from the New Testament and the Greek th Orthodox liturgy written by St John Chrysostomos in the 5 century CE. The attributions of the paths are taken from early Greek Christian and Gnostic sources. Hidden subtly in the structure of the paths is the "ascent of the soul" that is explained in great detail in the Gnostic Books of Ieou. Look for the order of the planets. It is the Ptolemaic order and is quite different from the order on the Hebrew Tree. This difference points to a different theology and a different way to salvation.
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There are three issues for us to consider in our personal search for salvation, using the Greek Tree of Life: 1. The attribution of the Greek letters to alchemy and astrology means that we can translate the titles of the Greek spheres into our personal alchemical and astrological functions. This is because of the Hermetic principle of: as Above, so Below. The Tree of Life is a kosmic blueprint for our internal spiritual structure.
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2. The ascent of the soul that is portrayed on the Tree, gives us a clue as to how to direct our lives with the clear intention of influencing our future incarnations. 3. We can relate the spheres and paths of the Greek Tree to the Gospels and derive a new appreciation of theology. These series. issues will be taken up in the following articles of this Finally, the relationship between Greek and Hebrew kabala is analogous to the relationship of the Fibonacci spirals on a sunflower head. They are very similar, but different and need to be seen together in order to be understood properly. Observe the diagram below.
We shall get a true appreciation of the subtle nature of the scriptures when we see how the two Trees of Life interact. In the previous article, we mentioned the translation of the names of the Greek spheres, into their alchemical and astrological attributions, so that we can gain a deeper understanding of them. To do that, we must know what the attributions are. The table below shows us those attributions and reveals even more subtle relationships. The Greek alphabet in
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both upper and lower case (and its English transliteration) is attributed as follows: Name
Greek
English
Number
Attribute
Meaning
Alfa
Α,α
A, a
1
Moon
1 chakra
Beta
Β,β
B, b
2
Aries
Head
Gamma
Γ,γ
G, g
3
Taurus
Throat
Delta
∆,δ
D, d
4
Gemini
Shoulders
Epsilon
Ε,ε
E, e
5
Mercury
2 chakra
Zeta
Ζ,ζ
Z, z
7
Cancer
Chest
Eta
Η,η
I, i
8
Venus
3 chakra
Theta
Θ,θ
Th, th
9
Earth
Iota
Ι,ι
I, I
10
Sun
4 chakra
Kappa
Κ,κ
K, k
20
Leo
Heart
Lambda
Λ,λ
L, l
30
Virgo
Stomach
Mi
Μ,µ
M, m
40
Libra
Intestines
Ni
Ν,ν
N, n
50
Scorpio
Genitals
Xi
Ξ,ξ
X, x
60
Water
Omicron
Ο,ο
O, o
70
Mars
Pi
Π,π
P, p
80
Sagittarius Thighs
Rho
Ρ,ρ
R, r
100
Capricorn Knees
Sigma
Σ,σ
S, s
200
Aquarius
Ankles
Tav
Τ,τ
T, t
300
Pisces
Feet
st
nd
rd
* see below th
* see below th
5 chakra
8
th
Ipsilon
Υ,υ
I, I
400
Jupiter
6 chakra
Fi
Φ,ϕ
F, f
500
Air
* see below
Chi
Χ,χ
H, h
600
Fire
* see below
Psi
Ψ,ψ
Ps, ps
700
Aether
Omega
Ω,ω
O, o
800
Saturn
* see below th
7 chakra
We need to make a number of points in order to gain the maximum benefit from the table: •
Pythagoras is credited with attributing numerical values to the Greek alphabet.
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There are 3 "I’s" (eta, iota, ipsilon) and 2 "O’s" (omicron, omega). They are pronounced the same but their numerical values are different and therefore give different kabalistic meanings. To make this point clear, in Greek there are 3 grammatically correct ways to spell "Christ": Χριστος , Χρεστος , Χρειστος . They are all pronounced the same way, however, only one spelling is correct because only one spelling gives the kabalistically correct numerical value of 1,480; Χριστος (Christos). The numbers 6, 90 and 900 are missing. That is because srcinally, the Greeks had 27 symbols for numbers that doubled as letters. However by the time of Christ, they only used the 24 letters shown above. The numbers 90 and 900 are not so important for kabalistic calculations, however the number 6 is important. Where there is a need for the number 6, the convention is to use the letters , . In English, ST, st. The most important use of these letters as the number 6, is in the word for "Cross", Σταυρος . The first two letters Στ are combined and are given the numerical value 6.
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The astrological attribution of the letters is derived from the Gnostics. We have this information from the Church Father, Irenaeus, in his book Against Heresies. The planetary order is taken from Ptolemy’s book Tetrabiblos. This book is the basis of modern western astrology. The alchemical attribution is also taken from Pythagoras. Although it is difficult to be certain, it appears that Earth is attributed to what we now refer to as the aetheric body; the subtle connection between the physical body and the soul. Thus Earth is attributed separately from the 12 zodiacal letters that are clearly concerned with the physical body as we understand it. Water is attributed to what he called the "epithymetic soul" which has to do with feelings and emotions. Air is attributed to what he called the "irascible soul" that we now refer to as left brain thinking. We use this as a description for logic and the kind of thinking we do for science. Fire is attributed by him to the "rational soul" that we now refer to as right brain thinking. This has to do with vision, imagination and inspiration. Aether is mysterious because it is the divinity within us. Our society still has no analogy for it. Once the letters are placed on the Greek Tree of Life, we have the basis for a new theology. A hint will be given here. There are 3 groups of letters: 12 zodiacal, 7 planetary, 5 alchemical. There are 3 inner journeys; the combined, the masculine and the feminine. This point will be taken up in a later article.
Let us begin our consideration of theology by looking at the meanings of the spheres on the diagram of the Tree of Life that appears below. Note that the spheres start with (First Principle) as 1 and finish with Βασιλεια (Kingdom) as 10. That is from top to bottom. However the paths begin from the bottom (alfa) and proceed to the top (omega). This is the reverse of the Hebrew Tree of Life, where the paths go from top to bottom. This difference between the Greek and Hebrew Trees, points to a different view of theology and therefore to a different 10
salvation. The view of theology that we shall develop is very much concerned with salvation. Let us look at the Greek Tree below and begin the journey of the spheres.
Sphere 1 - Α ρ χ η (Arche) First Principle
The word Arche appears in the opening statement of the Gospel of John. All of creation emanates from this sphere. Great confusion has been generated in the past by the conventional translation of John 1:1. Let us have it in Greek and then in English: 11
Εναρχηηνολογος … usually translated as….."In the beginning was the word….". This creates unwarranted confusion because it implies time and therefore a literal historical meaning, instead of a more profound metaphysical meaning. After all, if there is a beginning then time is being measured from some point by someone. To make the confusion even worse, this passage of scripture is compared with Genesis Ch 1 as if they were identical theological statements. They are not. It will take some effort to untangle the mischief, so please stay with us. The problem is that Greek is a sophisticated and subtle language. English is not comparable. Some metaphysical Greek words are able to carry different nuances of meaning that simply cannot be translated into English. To give you an idea, think of squashing an elephant into a phone booth. It is very difficult. It is equally difficult for translators of the New Testament from Greek into English. The problem is that Arche is capable of having a number of meanings and in fact, it has 16 distinctly different meanings in the New Testament. Used in different contexts, it implies different things. However used in John 1:1, it has only one meaning that makes any theological sense. Arche is the Causeless Cause and the Unmoved Mover of Aristotle, and also the Monad of Plotinus. It is beyond time and therefore there is no "beginning". It is the eternally present "I am". It is the First Principle, the undifferentiated unity of being. It is the Source of which nothing can be said but from which everything emanates. Time is its creation therefore it is timeless. The Arche of John Ch 1 is not describing the same process as Genesis Ch 1. To revert to Hebrew kabala, John Ch 1 is the ontological level of Emanation while Genesis Ch 1 describes the next level down, Creation.
The confusion is compounded by associating Arche with logos (λογος). This is another Greek word loaded with meaning. The usual translation of logos is "word". Hence the understandable
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connection with Genesis Ch 1 where God "said" and spoke creation into being. The problem is that in the New Testament, logos is used in 64 different ways. But it gets worse. In terms of Greek philosophy, it has at least 6 metaphysically different meanings that are relevant to John 1:1: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Order or proportion; pattern; Ratio or Discourse or articulation; Reason both in the sense of rationality and in the sense of articulating the cause of something; 5. Principle or cause; 6. Mediation or harmony between extremes. In the above senses, logos is the blueprint of the kosmos. It is the basis for creation and also our own spiritual constitution, hence the hermetic axiom as above so below. This is why the attribution of the Greek alphabet to the Tree of Life gives us a map for the inner journey. The "word" has been differentiated into components that are still part of a unified whole. This means that with our present level of consciousness we can take each component and work with it until we have reached our goal. We can experience God even if we are having trouble understanding him. In the view of theology that we are developing, the opening words of John 1:1 can be translated thus: "Within the first principle exists the pattern of order…..". Now let us look at (Arche) kabalistically, by taking each letter and looking at its meaning. The first letter Α (alfa) is attributed to the Moon and the first chakra. It is the first step of the masculine journey. The full description of the experience of this step is contained in the Apocalypse of John 2:1-7 as the first Letter, to the church of Ephesos. Interestingly, the principal deity of the pagan Greeks of Ephesos was Artemis, the goddess of the Moon. It is significant that the first letter of the title of the first sphere is about beginnings. It connects the Kingdom with
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the Foundation. The first step is confirmed by both Pagan and Christian sources. The second letter ρ (rho) is attributed to Capricorn and is the path connecting Power and Wisdom on the Tree of Life. No one can deny that power must be exercised with wisdom otherwise the result will be evil and destructive. The third letter χ (chi) connects Wisdom with Understanding on the Tree and is attributed to Fire. This path is related to vision, insight, imagination and inspiration. Surely these are the results of understanding with wisdom and being wise with understanding? This is the fourth step of the feminine journey. The fourth letter rd η (eta) is attributed to the 3 chakra and to Venus. This is the third step in the masculine journey and the full description of the experience is in the third Letter of the Apocalypse 2:12-17, to Pergamon. This path connects Greatness and Victory on the Tree. This indeed is a description of the experience. We now have a formula for understanding the First Principle. We must experience the paths of the Moon, Capricorn, Fire and Venus. It implies that we must travel the paths of the Tree before we can truly comprehend the First Principle. That is as it should be. This experience has to be assimilated in our normal lives in order to be the basis for salvation. We shall continue to investigate the Greek Tree of Life in subsequent articles. Once we have its outline, we shall consider the 3 journeys: the combined, the masculine and the feminine. We are on a journey to salvation, but we need a new view of theology because our old view has failed us. If you dispute this statement, simply ask yourself whether you are "saved". With all the pain in your life, the failures, the disappointments, the hurts, where is your salvation? After 2,000 years of our old view of theology, the world has not advanced morally or spiritually. Where is the world’s salvation? It is time to try something new. Paradoxically, our new view of theology is based on something very old, the Greek kabala of the New Testament and the Greek
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Tree of Life. Let us continue the journey by looking at the second sphere of Σοφια (Wisdom). Sphere 2 - Σοφ ια (Sofia) Wisdom Σοφια
The word Sofia appears in the New Testament in 6 different contexts. Fortunately for us, its meaning is basically theItsame: wisdom. But do we really understand what this means? is easy to accept that Sofia is an emanation from Arche (First Principle). It is self-evident because the First Principle is the source of spiritual light and life. But what are we actually talking about? In the view of theology, that we are developing, we can use Gnostic sources to assist us and so, we can refer to The Secret Book of John. Here, John describes the emanation from the Monad of 12 projections, the last of which is Sofia. In this text, Wisdom is personified as feminine and she desires to create and does so without the consent of the masculine principle. The mystery of the virgin birth is concealed in this concept. In the Gnostic scripture Thunder-Perfect Mind, a manifestation of Wisdom describes herself as "harlot", "virgin", "mother" and by implication, "widow". Remember these points because they are relevant to the feminine journey on the Tree. Let us now look at the first letter Σ (sigma). It is attributed to Aquarius and connects Power with First Principle on the Tree. This path is a step in the combined journey of men and women. Surely power must be exercised with wisdom or else it kills and destroys. The second letter ο (omicron) is attributed to Mars. It is the fifth chakra and the fifth masculine path that connects Power and Glory. A very appropriate attribution. The description of the experience is in the Apocalypse of John, 3:16. This is the Letter to Sardis. The third letter φ (fi) is attributed to Air and is the third step in the feminine journey. It connects Glory with First Principle. You will recall that according to Pythagorian thinking in its modern context, this path has to do with logical and scientific thinking. This is normally considered to be masculine and yet, it is on a feminine path.
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The fourth letter ι (iota) is attributed to the Sun and the fourth chakra. This is traditionally taken to be the Sun or heart chakra. This is also the fourth step in the masculine journey and its description is given in the Apocalypse of John, 2:18-29. This is the Letter to Thyatira. The path connects Greatness and Power on the Tree. The fifth letter α (alfa) is attributed to the Moon and is the first step of the masculine journey. It is also the first chakra. If you have not already seen it, you should realise that the attribution of the Greek letters to the chakras is different from the Hebrew system. That is because the theology is different and so is the way of salvation. The description of the experience of this path is in the Apocalypse of John, 2:1-7, the Letter to Ephesos. This path connects Kingdom and Foundation. The formula for experiencing Sofia is Aquarius, Mars, Air, Sun and Moon. Sphere 3 - Νοεσις (Noesis) Understanding Noesis appears in 6 different forms in the New Testament. "Understanding" is one of the meanings and the one appropriate in this theological context. In the Gnostic scripture The Three Tablets of Seth, we are told that Understanding is bestowed upon Power and that Power is bestowed upon Understanding. That fits the Greek Tree of Life perfectly and indicates the accuracy of the view of theology that we are developing.
The first letter Ν (ni) is attributed to Scorpio and is part of the combined journey. If you refer to the table in Part 2 of this series, you will see that it is also attributed to the genitals. This is a subtle indication that sexuality is involved in the spiritual process. This path connects Goodness with Glory on the Tree. The second letter ο (omicron) is attributed to Mars and the fifth chakra. It is also the fifth step in the male journey. The description of the experience is in the Apocalypse of John 3:1-6, as the Letter to Sardis. It connects Power and Glory. The third letter ε (epsilon) is attributed to Mercury, the second chakra and the second step in the male journey. The description of the 16
experience is in the Apocalypse of John 2:8-11, as the Letter to Smyrna. The path connects Foundation and Victory. The fourth letter σ (sigma) is attributed to Aquarius and is part of the combined journey. It connects Power to First Principle. The fifth letter ι (iota) is attributed to the Sun, the fourth chakra and the fourth step in the masculine journey. The experience is described in the Apocalypse of John 2:18-29, as the Letter to Thyatira. The path connects Greatness and Power. The sixth letter ς is sigma in its final form and has been described above. It emphasises the importance of the combined journey of Aquarius for the proper understanding of Understanding. The formula for understanding Noesis is Scorpio, Mars, Mercury, Aquarius, Sun and Aquarius. The non-sphere - Γνωσις (Gnosis) Knowledge
Christ said "…ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free"; Gospel of John 8:32. Knowledge is the key to freedom and freedom is salvation. Thus the fundamental basis for salvation is knowledge. Up to now theology has not emphasized this teaching and instead it has insisted that salvation comes by faith and belief alone. Indeed, the Church did its utmost to suppress the spiritual knowledge of gnosis. The sad legacy of that policy is that today many cry out for salvation but no salvation comes. Instead we continue to be exhorted to have faith and believe, in the face of all the evidence that it has failed for most people. Do you doubt this failure? Look at your own personal life and look at the world around you. The Church has had 2,000 years to make the old theology work. It is now time for a new view of theology based on personal effort. To be fair, there are people who insist that salvation can come from faith and belief alone. This is a matter of personal experience. Let us begin by noting that in the Hebrew Tree of Life, this sphere is known as Da’at and this also means Knowledge. Significantly, in Genesis 4:1 it is written, "And Adam knew Eve
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his wife; and she conceived….". The old theology considers this to be a prudish euphemism for sex and has paid no attention to the fact that the Hebrew word is da’at. This is knowledge in the sense of gnosis, that is, spiritual knowledge. Thus the masculine principle has to know the feminine principle for any form of spiritual creation. Sexuality is the lowest form of this kind of knowledge. In the gnostic myth, Sofia creates asexually, that is, without the concurrence of the masculine principle. In some gnostic texts this leads to her fall and creates the necessity for her redemption. However it must be emphasised here that this is not the view that we take. The Virgin Mary is the personification of Sofia and Mary conceived asexually in the sense that she conceived by the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery of the Virgin Birth. Hence the Virgin Mary is the personification of the first step of the feminine journey on the Greek Tree of Life. Mary must give birth as a virgin to the Redeemer, just as Sofia gives birth as a virgin to the kosmos. As Above, so Below. These are deep issues and we shall return to them in a later part of this series. Just one point at this stage however, one of the Greek titles of the Virgin Mary, is Θεοτοκος (Theotokos) which means "God Bearer". The first Greek letter of her title is Θ (theta) and on the Greek Tree of Life it is attributed to Earth, connects Greatness to Goodness and is the first step in the feminine journey. A small confirmation of the view of theology that we are developing. But let us return to the main issue, the sphere of Gnosis. Just as in the Hebrew Tree Da’at is created by the Fall of Adam and Eve, so in the Greek Tree Gnosis is created by the Fall. In both cases the "creation" is a negative, that is, a lack or an absence. What is it that is lacking? Knowledge! How is the negative turned into a positive? How is Knowledge created? By pain, hard work, personal discipline and constant effort. No wonder that we prefer to think that all we have to do is to have faith and believe. That takes no effort at all. But it also explains the lack of results for most people. 18
The first letter Γ (gamma) is attributed to Taurus and is part of the combined journey of men and women. It connects Kingdom and Victory on the Tree. The second letter ν (ni) is attributed to Scorpio and is also part of the combined journey. We also know that Scorpio is connected with the genitals and this points to sexuality as being part of Knowledge. This path connects Goodness to Glory. The third letter ο (omicron) is attributed to Mars, the fifth chakra and the fifth step in the masculine journey. It connects Power to Glory. The experience of this path is described in the Apocalypse of John 3:1-6, as the Letter to Sardis. The fourth letter σ (sigma) is attributed to Aquarius and is part of the combined journey. It connects Power to First Principle. The fifth letter ι (iota) is attributed to the Sun, the fourth chakra and the fourth step in the masculine journey. It connects Greatness to Power. The description of the experience of this path is in the Apocalypse of John 2:18-29, as the Letter to Thyatira. The sixth letter ς is sigma in its final form and we have already seen it. This emphasises the importance of Aquarius. One final point. Look at the Greek Tree and note that Gnosis exists at the conjunction of the pentagram formed as follows: First Principle ⇒ Glory ⇒ Understanding ⇒ Wisdom ⇒ Power ⇒ First Principle
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The doctrine of the pentagram was first publicly taught by Pythagoras. Since his time the doctrine has become one of the cornerstones of the western esoteric tradition. In the view of theology that we are developing, Knowledge is the combination of the five spheres that form a pentagram around it. But to get to those five spheres requires that the whole Tree has been traveled and all its lessons have been learned. That is, the sphere of Knowledge is created as the last stage of the work. We have a lot to do, but it is worthwhile because it is Knowledge that will set us free. In our present spiritual state, the Gnosis of freedom promised to us by Christ, is still ahead for most of us. We can recreate that Knowledge by doing the work. The formula for experiencing Gnosis is Taurus, Scorpio, Mars, Aquarius, Sun and Aquarius. Does the work ahead cause you to feel disheartened? Is that because you believe that you do not have to do anything, you can get to heaven by doing nothing more that believing and having faith? But believe what? Having faith in what? The evidence of the last 2,000 years proves that for most people the
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old theology has failed. However if you still need to have faith and believe in something, at least believe in Knowledge, because Christ promised that it will set us free. The point that we make is that Knowledge has to be worked for. Let us proceed with the inner journey. Sphere 4 - ∆οξα (Doxa) Glory Doxa is used in 18 different ways in the New Testament. But do we really understand the concept of glory? In the Gnostic scripture Zostrianos, we are told that the "…glories are perfect concepts, appearing unto powers…they are patterns of salvation…". This fits in with the Greek Tree of Life because Glory is opposite Power and they are perfect concepts directly connected by a path. But more importantly, it is now clear that Glory is the pattern of salvation. This is obvious from the Tree because Glory is directly connected to First Principle that as we
have already seen in Part 2 of this series, contains the pattern of order. Thus Glory fully opens up the pattern of salvation that exists as latent potential in First Principle. Moreover, Christ will come with Power and Glory (Luke 21:27). You can now see that we are taking the concepts of the old theology and examining them in a new way. It is important to note that we are not advocating the abandonment of the Christian belief system. We are taking it as the starting point for the inner journey. Here is the difference the Church stops at the very point where we begin. Let us continue. The first letter ∆ (delta) is attributed to Gemini and is part of the combined journey of men and women. It connects Foundation and Greatness on the Tree. The second letter ο (omicron) is attributed to Mars, the fifth chakra and the fifth step of the masculine journey. Appropriately, it is the masculine power of Mars that connects Power and Glory. The description of the experience of this path is in the Apocalypse of John 3:1-6 as the Letter to Sardis. The third letter ξ (xi) is attributed to Water and
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is the second step in the feminine journey. It connects Goodness to First Principle. In the modern interpretation of Pythagoras, this has to do with feelings and emotions in a spiritual sense. This is the path of pain, but more on that later. The fourth letter α (alfa) is attributed to the Moon, the first chakra and the first step in the masculine journey. It connects Kingdom with Foundation. The description of the experience is in the Apocalypse of John 2:1-7, as the Letter to Ephesos. Thus the formula for experiencing Glory is the combination of Gemini, Mars, Water and the Moon. Sphere 5 - ∆υναµις (Dynamis) Power Dynamis is used in 21 different ways in the New Testament. Only some of them refer to "power" in the sense used here. Once more we turn to a gnostic scripture for assistance. In the First Thought in Three Forms we are told that First Thought (another name for First Principle) comes down into the world for the salvation of the stolen power of Sofia. Let us pause here. We have already seen that Glory is the pattern of salvation made manifest and now it is implied that by the Fall the Power of salvation has been stolen and must be recovered. The coming down of First Thought (or First Principle) for the salvation of the stolen Power makes a lot of sense and is part of the answer to the question "why are we not saved?" Bearing in mind that this is all deeply symbolic, it means that within our individual spiritual makeup, we have lost something that needs to be redeemed.
This is a redemption that involves the invocation of the First Principle within us but that requires us to have completed the inner journey around the Greek Tree of Life and have created Gnosis. If that sounds paradoxical, it is because it is paradoxical. We are dealing with mysteries that are inherently right brain concepts. Mysteries require revelation, inspiration, imagination and vision. We shall not attain these states of being through left brain logic. This needs Knowledge, as well as faith and belief.
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The first letter ∆ (delta) is attributed to Gemini and is part of the combined journey of male and female. It connects Foundation and Greatness on the Tree. The second letter υ (ipsilon) is attributed to Jupiter, the sixth chakra and the sixth step in the masculine journey. It connects Glory and Wisdom. The description of the experience is in the Apocalypse of John 3:713, as the Letter to Philadelphia. The third letter ν (ni) is attributed to Scorpio and is part of the combined journey. Note once more that sexuality is being hinted at as part of Power. The fourth letter α (alfa) is attributed to the Moon, the first chakra and the first step in the masculine journey. It connects Kingdom with Foundation. The experience is found in the Apocalypse 2:1-7, as the Letter to Ephesos. The fifth letter µ (mi) is attributed to Libra as part of the combined masculine and feminine journey. It connects Goodness and Power. The sixth letter ι (iota) is attributed to the Sun, the fourth chakra and the fourth masculine step. It connects Greatness and Power. It is described in the Apocalypse of John 2:18-29, as the Letter to Thyatira. The seventh letter ς sigma in its final form is attributed to Aquarius and is part of the combined journey. The formula for comprehending Power is Gemini, Jupiter, Scorpio, Moon, Libra, Sun and Aquarius. Let us pause and consider that Dynamis has been lost and it will take the direct intervention of First Principle to recover the lost th Power of salvation. The last letter of Dynamis is the 7 and it connects Power and First Principle via Aquarius, a sign of the zodiac usually attributed to very high intellect. The number 7 is significant for the number of steps in the masculine journey and the chakras. All of this tells us that the male journey must be completed before the path of Aquarius can be properly activated to enable First Principle to recover the lost Power of salvation. This is paradoxical because it implies that salvation can be achieved without completing all three journeys. The problem is that First Principle cannot be activated unless Knowledge is
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created. That cannot occur until all 3 journeys are complete. Confused? Good, let us proceed. Sphere 6 - Αγαθωσυνη (Agathosine) Goodness Agathosine is used in two ways in the New Testament, both implying goodness. However goodness is not the Good. Here we must turn to Plotinos for assistance. From his teachings recorded in the Enneads, we find that "goodness" is an emanated quality of the Good which itself is identified with the Monad. We have already seen that the First Principle is identical with the Monad, so what does all this mean? Look at the Greek Tree of Life and you will see that the sphere directly below First Principle (Monad), is Goodness. That is the quality of goodness is an emanation of the concept of the Good. If this is not clear, try reading the Enneads or the gnostic scripture The Three Tablets of Seth that states "…by Goodness you have bestowed
Power upon Understanding". Note that on the Tree, Goodness is connected with Power that in turn is connected with Understanding. Who is the "you" who does the bestowing? The Good, that is, First Principle. We therefore have a circuit of spiritual influence as follows: First Principle ⇒ Goodness ⇒ Power ⇒ Understanding ⇒ First Principle
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The circuit is complete because Understanding connects with First principle. The whole Tree is important, but this circuit is significant, because it is approached from below, by the first step of the feminine journey. There are a few surprises in store for us in that journey, but more of that later. The first letter Α (alfa) is the first masculine step and has been described before. The second letter γ (gamma) is attributed to Taurus and is part of the combined journey. It connects Kingdom to Victory. The third letter is also α (alfa). The first step is being emphasised again. The fourth letter θ (theta) is attributed to Earth and is the first feminine step. It takes us from Greatness to Goodness and the circuit we have seen above. This implies special power to the feminine. Remember that it is associated with the aetheric body and that in turn is the connection between the physical body and the soul as vehicles of consciousness. Out of interest, observe that the path from Goodness to First Principle is the second feminine step and is also part of the circuit. Do you find this confusing? Good. Maybe you will let your intuition guide you. The fifth letter ω (omega) is the seventh masculine step and is attributed to Saturn and the seventh chakra. It connects Wisdom and First Principle. The experience is described in The 25
Apocalypse 3:14-22, as the Letter to Laodicea. The sixth letter σ (sigma) is attributed to Aquarius, connects Power to First Principle and is part of the combined journey. The seventh letter υ (ipsilon) is the sixth masculine step attributed to Jupiter and the sixth chakra. The experience is described in the Apocalypse 3:7-13 as the Letter to Philadelphia. It connects Glory to Wisdom. The eighth letter ν (ni) is attributed to Scorpio on the combined journey and connects Goodness with Glory. Note the subtle sexual connotation yet again. The ninth letter η (eta) is the third masculine step, attributed to Venus and the third chakra. Since Venus is the personification of sexual desire, our attention is again being attracted. It connects Greatness with Victory and the experience is in the Apocalypse 2:8-17, as the Letter to Pergamos. The formula for experiencing Goodness is Moon, Taurus, Moon, Earth, Saturn, Aquarius, Scorpio and Venus. ******* Let us pause for a time and review what we have done and where we are. Is all of this confusing, infuriating and boring? Is it a waste of time following all these letters and paths on the Greek Tree of Life? Can you see any relevance at all in any of this for your life here and now? Is all of this nonsense? You are being tested. How dare anyone test you! Why do you have to put up with all of this? Why is this not explained in plain English so you can understand it and apply the teaching? Why all these metaphors, symbols and parables? Christ said, "Therefore speak I in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." (Matthew 13:13); and again, "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables." (Mark 4:11) Once more, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of
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God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." (Luke 8:10) Have you got the message? Sphere 7 - Νικη (Nike) Victory Nike is used six times in the New Testament and means Victory in its usual sense of a triumph over an adversary after a struggle or battle. But what is the struggle? Who is the adversary? After all, we have just come from Goodness. The clue is given by the path of ε (epsilon) that leads into Victory and the path of η (eta) that leads out of it. These are the second and third masculine paths. Before we can progress from the second to the third, there is a struggle that must be won. The second path is attributed to Mercury whose archetypal meaning is the high intellect. The third path is attributed to Venus whose archetypal meaning is
desire, emotion and yet again, the sex drive. What then is the struggle? It is the battle between the intellect and desire. What does Victory mean? Not that one defeats the other. That would be the opposites in direct opposition and mutual destruction. Victory is the symbiotic relationship between intellect and desire, so that they work together. That is easy enough to say, but very difficult in practice, hence the title of this sphere is Victory. The first letter Ν (ni) is attributed to Scorpio and the combined journey. Appropriately, it is the path of the genitals and the physical location of the struggle. The second letter ι (iota) has already been described. Here, simply note that it is the next step on the masculine journey after the struggle has been won. The third letter κ (kappa) is attributed to Leo on the combined journey and links Goodness with Victory. Do you see the intricate interconnections within the Tree? We are only touching the surface at the moment. There is a great deal more to discuss. The fourth letter η (eta) is attributed to Venus, the third masculine step and the third chakra. The experience is described in the Apocalypse 2:12-17, as the Letter to Pergamos. 27
The formula for understanding Victory is Scorpio, Sun, Leo and Venus. Sphere 8 - Μεγαλωσυνη (Megalosine) Greatness Megalosine appears four times in the New Testament. Curiously, it is not used in its literal meaning of "greatness", but rather in the sense of "majesty". Thus it means something like great authority, sovereignty, dignity and imposing character; all meanings quite appropriate to the subject we are studying. Here is the clue: there are 10 letters in Megalosine. The whole of the Tree of Life is encapsulated in this word. Appropriately, 5 letters are vowels and 5 are consonants, thus giving a balanced perspective. The true Greatness of the Tree lies in the breadth and depth of knowledge of the process salvation that it gives to us.
The first letter Μ (mi) is attributed to Libra on the combined journey. It connects Goodness and Power. The second letter ε (epsilon) is attributed to Mercury, the second chakra and the second step in the masculine journey. It connects Foundation with Victory. The experience is described in the Apocalypse 2:8-11, as the Letter to Smyrna. The third letter γ (gamma) is attributed to Taurus on the combined journey. It connects Kingdom and Victory. The fourth α (alfa) has already been described, but note that it is attributed to the Moon and she reflects the "greatness" of the Sun. The fifth letter λ (lambda) is attributed to Virgo the combined and connects Victory with Glory;on quite appropriatejourney to Greatness. The sixth letter ω (omega) is attributed to the seventh masculine step, the seventh chakra and Saturn. It connects Wisdom with First Principle. The description of the experience is in the Apocalypse 3:14-22, as the Letter to Laodicea. The seventh letter σ (sigma) has already been described. It connects Power to Crown, again appropriate to Greatness. The eighth letter υ (ipsilon) has also been described. It connects Glory to Wisdom and are they not attributes of Greatness? The 28
ninth letter ν (ni) has already been described. It connects Goodness with Glory, again very appropriate for Greatness. The tenth letter η (eta) connects Victory and Greatness. It is the third masculine step, the third chakra and is attributed to Venus. The experience is described in the Apocalypse 2:12-17, as the Letter to Pergamos. The formula for Greatness is Libra, Mercury, Taurus, Moon, Virgo, Saturn, Aquarius, Jupiter, Scorpio and Venus. Sphere 9 - Θεµελιον (Themelion) Foundation Themelion is used 23 times in the New Testament as Foundation and is related to the Greek word that means "to establish". Clearly, a foundation is laid for the purpose of establishing a firm basis for what shall be built upon it. On the Tree, this is the correct place for Foundation and not the sphere of Kingdom,
because a foundation is itself dug into the ground. Kingdom is the ground in which the Foundation is established. But what does it all mean? The clue is contained in Matthew 16:18 where Christ says, " And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church;…". It is well known that Christ is using a Greek pun: "Peter" in Greek, is Πετρος and that word is related to πετρα , which means "rock". Cube shaped rocks were used for foundations of all kinds of buildings at the time of Christ, but especially for temples. The first letter Θ (theta) is attributed to Earth and the first feminine step. It connects Greatness with Goodness. It is the start of the circuit we have noted before. To say that the feminine principle is deep in the Foundation is more than just a play on words. The second letter ε (epsilon) has already been described. Note however that it connects Foundation to Victory and is part of the struggle we have already observed. The third letter µ (mi) has already been described. The fourth letter ε (epsilon) is very familiar by now. The fifth letter λ (lambda) has also been described. The sixth letter ι (iota), seventh letter ο (omicron) and eighth letter ν (ni), are all well known. The point 29
is to understand how they establish the Foundation. Once more note Scorpio and the genitals. The formula for understanding Foundation is Earth, Mercury, Libra, Mercury, Virgo, Sun, Mars and Scorpio. Sphere 10 - Βασιλεια (Basileia) Kingdom Basileia is found 161 times in the New Testament and is used in 6 different senses. The gnostic teacher Basilides is reported, in a papyrus fragment of unknown provenance, to hold that a soul’s salvation is its rational state and kingdom. Is it an accident that the name Basilides means "he who is of the kingdom"? It is at least clear that Kingdom in the Greek Tree of Life has a deep metaphysical meaning and is not to be attributed to the physical world we live in. This makes complete sense of Christ’s repeated teachings about the Kingdom being at hand, when no
one can actually see it. (Luke 17:20,21). We should also note that Basilides uses the word "rational" in a different sense to that in which we use it. Today we treat left brain thinking as being rational. The closest analogy to Basilides’ meaning is right brain thinking. This is consistent with the teaching of Pythagoras. The first letter Β (beta) is attributed to Aries and is the first step of the combined journey. It connects Kingdom and Greatness. The second letter α (alfa) has already been described but note that it is the first step of the masculine journey. It connects Kingdom and Foundation. The third letter σ (sigma) has been described. It leads to First Principle, the final destination of the journey begun at Kingdom. The fourth letter ι (iota), the fifth letter λ (lambda), the sixth letter ε (epsilon), the seventh letter ι (iota) and the eighth letter α (alfa) have all been described. The formula for understanding Kingdom is Aries, Moon, Aquarius, Sun, Virgo, Mercury, Sun and Moon.
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We have come to the end of our first consideration of the Greek Tree of Life. A number of points now arise: •
•
•
•
There are four letters that have not come up for consideration: ζ (zeta), π (pi), τ (tav) and ψ (psi). They have not been named but they are still part of the Tree. We cannot ignore them and we shall meet them when we conduct the 3 journeys. If you have got to this point, it means that you have successfully passed the first test. You have demonstrated patience, concentration, perseverance and discipline. You will need all these qualities as we proceed. There are further tests and courage is one of them, because you will have to face your worst adversary – yourself. These tests will be found in the 3 journeys and that which lies beyond them. The journeys and the tests are part of the process of salvation. This is a new view of theology. If you do not like it, give up now.
If you do not want to give up, read on. We have heard a great deal about the 3 journeys. It is time that we begin to understand them. So far, we know that there is a masculine journey, a feminine journey and a combined journey. Clearly, the concept of a journey is related to significant life changing experiences. Most of them are unpleasant and according to our present society, are to be avoided. That is because our society is geared to instant self-gratification (easy credit, fast foods, instant entertainment) and avoids anything unpleasant. That avoidance includes salvation as a process of personal transformation because as we shall see, salvation requires discipline, hard work and total commitment. It is hard to be committed while we drink beer, eat a hamburger and watch TV. That is much easier than fasting, studying, meditating and praying. Our society would rather "feel good" than do any spiritual work.
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That still does not explain why we must take the journeys. The reason is that before we are liberated by salvation, we must have every human experience. Thus we have all incarnated as men and therefore we have all been rapists. We have all incarnated as women and thus have all been raped. As women we have all had abortions. We have all been gay. We have all incarnated in different races and therefore been racists and the victims of racism. We have committed crimes and been the victims of crime. We have been rich, we have been poor; we have been powerful, we have been weak. And so it goes on. To have every human experience requires more than one incarnation; it demands thousands. For a society that craves instant selfgratification, this is not a cheerful prospect. The easiest course is simply to deny that salvation needs effort on our part. We have in fact done just that and deny the need for hard work in order to be saved. We use a theology that matches our society’s needs. Our current understanding of theology tells us not to worry, because Jesus did it all for us 2,000 years ago. His crucifixion is sufficient for us to be saved today without any effort on our part. This old theology is very popular but it may not be true for you. If it is not, then the Greek Tree of Life is the road map for all the journeys that we must take. You did not expect to read any of this did you? If you don’t like it, you had better stop now, because if you continue, you may not be able to stop. But why should we take the journeys anyway? Won’t reincarnation and karma take care of everything? Yes they will, but very slowly. The point is that we can choose to accelerate our own progress by choosing to have those experiences that our society sees as unpleasant and unnecessary. To do that, we need discipline. For those who want to come along, let us begin. The Combined Journey
We start with this, because it is the easiest to comprehend. On the surface it appears to be referring to the physical nature that is 32
shared by men and women. On the Greek Tree it is symbolised by the 12 letters attributed to the signs of the zodiac and the body parts associated with them. It will be helpful to see these attributions in table form: Name
Greek English Number Attribute Meaning
Beta
,
B, b
2
Aries
Head
Gamma
,
G, g
3
Taurus
Throat
D, d
4
Gemini
Shoulders
,
Z, z
7
Cancer
Chest
Κ,κ
K, k
20
Leo
Heart
,
L, l
30
Virgo
Stomach
Delta Zeta Kappa Lambda
∆,δ
Mi
Μ,µ
M, m
40
Libra
Intestines
Ni
Ν,ν
N, n
50
Scorpio
Genitals
Pi
Π,π
P, p
80
Sagittarius Thighs
Rho
Ρ,ρ
R, r
100
Capricorn Knees
S, s
200
Aquarius
Ankles
T, t
300
Pisces
Feet
Sigma Tav
, Τ,τ
Both men and women have the same body parts listed above. Whatever their bodies is an experience common to each. All of thisaffects is a metaphor and substitutes symbols for individual experiences. Obviously, this journey has 12 steps. What are they? There are many explanations, in fact as many explanations as there are people. Here is one explanation; the key to it is the number 12. We need experiences that will counter the damaging effects of our obsession with self-gratification and "feel good". There is one word that describes such experiences: discipline. According to tradition, there are 12 spiritual disciplines of 3 types, with 4 examples of each type:
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Inner Outer Group Fasting Submission Worship Study Service Guidance Meditation Solitude Confession Prayer Simplicity Celebration
Let us now place the 12 steps on the road map of the Tree of Life, so that we can see where we have to go. As we shall discover, it is difficult to correlate the 12 disciplines with the 12 steps, but that is also a part of the journey.
Let us now look at the disciplines. The inner disciplines we do alone and we can hide that fact from our relatives, friends and 34
the people we work with. The cumulative effect of fasting, study, meditation and prayer, takes time to be noticed if we keep our behaviour confidential. However the outer disciplines immediately mark us for attention. Our normal behaviour will change so radically, that we submission, shall be treated as a threat, for indeed we are.isTo with service, solitude and simplicity, to behave reject the entire basis of our present culture. We are a threat precisely because we are taking control of our own spiritual destiny. When we combine with other like-minded people in the group disciplines, we become intolerable. Our society has turned worship and celebration into entertainment, thus demonstrating its lack of understanding. Confession is thought of in simple psychological terms and guidance in spiritual matters is lacking. What a threat we are if we work on all 12 disciplines. This is your second warning to stop now and go no further, if you do not like what you are reading. We shall not discuss the 12 disciplines in detail here, because it has been done elsewhere. Further, the correlation of the 12 disciplines with the 12 signs of the zodiac and the 12 body parts is difficult. For example, fasting affects: •
•
•
The head (Aries) because what we see and hear needs as much control as what we eat and drink. The stomach (Virgo) and intestines (Libra) because of what we eat and drink. The genitals (Scorpio) because our sexual behaviour is strongly affected by what we see and hear in the head (Aries).
Study, meditation and prayer affect the head (Aries) and by changing our behaviour, affect all of our body parts. In other words the correlation between the 12 disciplines and the 12 signs of the zodiac is not linear. It is a non-linear relationship and understanding that is part of the combined journey.
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There is only one issue to be observed at this time. The experience of the 12 disciplines in the combined journey results in the integration of our vehicles of consciousness body, soul and spirit, with our male and female nature. It is precisely because we each have a male and female nature that requires us to make each of the 3 journeys. Look at the diagram below:
What has this to do with the body parts? Are we doing a journey in the body? A well known relaxation technique begins at the head and moves down the body in the order of the above table. But it is more subtle than that. Think of the acupuncture meridians. If you visualise yourself as a point of light (an esoteric exercise of the Mysteries) and literally take the journey from head to feet as per the table, you are stimulating the flow of chi through effect the meridians. Quite apart health, it has more profound of transforming yourfrom physical body intoaa body of spiritual light. Is this journey worth taking? The combined journey is a process of integration and wholeness. It must be performed by both men and women in the same way. The time for separate journeys comes after this. Why? The combined journey is the minimum standard for our spiritual lives because to proceed without having done it, is dangerous. Yes, it can be dangerous to live spiritually. The danger is in dealing with forces we do not understand and before we are 36
ready for them. The whole point of the spiritual life is to deliberately set into motion the hidden processes of the kosmos. The power to do so is granted to us by God in his infinite mercy. The wisdom to do so must be very painfully earned by us. The power to set kosmic forces into motion is based upon the knowledge of how it is done, knowledge that is locked into the Tree of Life. As the minimum standard the 12 disciplines are the least that is required of us. After them, the journeys get serious. This is your third and final warning. In the Mysteries, you only get three warnings. Now what about the female journey? If you have got to this point, it means you are at least curious enough to find out what the feminine journey is about. Please note that menthat as well as women mustwill take thelike feminine journey. Be warned our present society not much of what you are about to read. The Feminine Journey
You already realise that this is a journey of 5 steps but there is nothing like it in current theology. What is it? The clue is the name "Mary", in Greek, Μαρι . There are 5 letters in her name and that is the fundamental number of archetypal experiences for the feminine. Consider Mary as: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
The Virgin. The Magdalene. The Mother. The Widow. Sofia.
These are 5 transformative steps that have to be experienced by each of us, as part of the totality of human experience. This is because we must have all possible human experiences before we
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can have the liberation of salvation. Let us look at these 5 steps in the table below: Name Greek English Number Attribute Meaning
Theta Θ , θ
Th, th
9
Earth
Virgin
Xi Fi
Ξ,ξ ,
X, x F, f
60 500
Water Air
Magdalene Mother
Chi
Χ,χ
Ch, ch
600
Fire
Widow
Psi
Ψ , ψ Psi, psi 700
Aether
Sofia
If you are easily embarrassed, please stop now. However if you wish to proceed let us take each step individually. Virgin
This is very embarrassing because it is linked to the Virgin Birth. The Church tries to get around this by telling us that in Mary’s time, the Aramaic word for "virgin", meant something like "young girl" and although it implied sexual virginity, that was not guaranteed and certainly not expected after marriage. It was a social convention that young girls would be virgins when they married. The best evidence of the Church’s embarrassment is that it chooses an Aramaic word for "virgin". "So what", you will ask? The point is that the New Testament was not written in Aramaic. It was written in Greek. Aramaic is absolutely irrelevant. The onlyword relevant to ask is what is the Greek usedquestion in that context? The word is παρθενος and it means "virgin". That meaning is unequivocal and unambiguous. The Church cannot escape its embarrassment by distracting our attention with an irrelevant Aramaic word. In the view of theology that we are developing, we can understands virginity to be a metaphysical state that implies an absolute spiritual integrity that can never be defiled. How can
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such a state be described? Fortunately, the gnostic scripture Thunder – Perfect Mind, has given us just such a description: For, it is I who am the first: and the last. It is I who am revered: and the despised. It is I who am the harlot: and the holy. I who wife: and and the the daughter. virgin. It isItIiswho amam thethe mother: I am the members of my mother. It is I who am the barren: and who has many children. It is I who am the one whose marriage is magnificent: and who have not married. It is I who am the midwife: and she who does not give birth; It is I who am consolation: of my own travail. It is I who am the bride: and the bridegroom. And it is my husband who has begotten me. It is I who am the mother of my father; and the sister of my husband. And it is he who is my offspring.
Confused? You should be, because it is no use trying to analyse this with left brain logic. This is right brain material. The clue is in all the opposites that have to be reconciled. Only after that reconciliation can the true nature of the Virgin be understood. But there is more. Consider the Gospel of John 1:1. Under the old theology it is translated as, "In the beginning was the word, …". As we have seen, a better translation is, "Within the first principle exists the pattern of order, …". In any event, it goes on to say in John 1:4,5, "In him (First Principle) was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." The darkness is the metaphysical virgin state of the feminine that must be brought to life and light by the masculine part of the First Principle. The virgin state is the feminine side of the First Principle prior to its act of manifestation. Both sides are
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necessary for manifestation, they must be reconciled and neither are well understood. Let us admit candidly that this is a mystery of the highest order. It will be grasped only by disciplined action on our part. Do you now understand the necessity for the 12 disciplines? The transformative state of the Virgin is attributed to the path Θ (theta) and the alchemical element Earth. Remember that alchemy is a metaphorical system of parables about personal transformation. We have already seen the Pythagorian explanation that this element symbolises the aetheric body, as the connecting link between body and soul. Earth is the grounding principle and the ultimate metaphysical place for the manifestation of the life and light "that shineth in the darkness". Given the deep mystery of the virgin state, this is entirely appropriate. Let us also recall that one of the Virgin’s titles is Θεοτοκος (Theotokos - God Bearer). The first letter of that title is Θ (theta) and that letter is the first step of the feminine journey on the Tree of Life. This step connects Greatness with Goodness and leads directly into the circuit of power we saw in Part 4 of this series. The first feminine step of virginity is the prerequisite for the power that is to be experienced in the circuit. We need absolute spiritual integrity to enter this circuit. Why does the Church try to distract us with irrelevant Aramaic words about "young girls"? Now you are going to get really embarrassed. We are going to talk about prostitutes. Magdalene
This is Ξ (xi), the path of Water that connects Goodness and First Principle. It is the second feminine step and leads directly from the first. Since this path is linked by Pythagoras to emotions and feelings, its sexual implication is clear.
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From the very beginning, Church tradition has accepted that Mary Magdalene was a "repentant sinner", a polite euphemism for "reformed prostitute". The problem for the Church has been that a prostitute has been regarded as the most despised of women, but Mary Magdalene has played a crucial role in the very implementation of Christ’s mission. The old theology tries to ignore her. Our new view of theology puts her in the correct place of the Christian manifestation. Let us begin. In Luke 7:37 we are told of "a woman in the city, which was a sinner", who washes Jesus’ feet with her tears, dries his feet with her hair, kisses his feet and anoints them with ointment. Jesus forgives her sins. Notice the small detail that she has unbound hair. Respectable women of that era did not wear their hair like that. Prostitutes did. A "woman in the city" who is a "sinner" and has unbound hair, is a good euphemism for a prostitute. Who is this woman? In John 12:3, she is named as Mary of Bethany and anoints Jesus’ feet with spikenard a very costly ointment. She then wipes his feet with her hair. Again notice the unbound hair. This occurs six days before the Last Supper. In Mark 14:3, we are told that at Bethany a woman anoints his head with spikenard. In Matthew 26:7 we are told that again in Bethany, a woman pours very precious ointment on his head. Mary of Bethany and the unnamed woman are clearly the same person. But is she the "sinner"? Is she Mary Magdalene the reformed prostitute? And why is this important anyway? In Greek, Χριστος (Christos) means the "anointed one". In his day, kings were anointed with spikenard. Thus we now have precisely the moment when Jesus became Christ, only a few days prior to the Last Supper. From this moment on, he should not be called Jesus. He should only be called Christ, because he has been anointed like a king. But why by a woman and why is it important to know whether she is Mary Magdalene? To be blunt, why is it important that she be a prostitute? Is there any evidence to connect Mary Magdalene with the act of
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anointment? In Mark 14:8 Christ says of the unnamed woman "she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying", a clear reference to the need to anoint his body in the tomb after his crucifixion. Who is it that comes to do that? Before we answer that question, who stands at the foot of the cross when he is crucified? In John 19:25 we are told that three women do so, Mary his mother, Mary wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene. There is no mention of Mary of Bethany. It is reasonable to expect that the woman who anoints Jesus as Christ, should be present at his crucifixion. Is Mary Magdalene the same as Mary of Bethany? Finally, at John 20:1,2 we are told that Mary Magdalene is the first to go to the tomb to anoint the body of the dead Christ and she finds that the tomb is empty. Why her? Why not Mary the mother, or Mary of Bethany? Clearly, Mary Magdalene the reformed prostitute is vital to the ritual of anointing the live Jesus and the dead Christ. Why? First why a woman and secondly, why a prostitute? The importance of these questions is understood when we consider that at Mark 14:9, Christ says of the unnamed woman who anoints him: Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel is preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
Is this woman important? Consider this. Only two people conducted major rites for Jesus: John who baptises him at the beginning of his ministry and the woman who anoints him at the end. The baptism and the anointing imply authority on the part of John and of the woman. The point is subtle. Although by baptising and anointing they bestow authority on Jesus, they must themselves have authority to do so. Let us again be blunt – how can a prostitute have this kind of authority? We shall find out in Part 8 of this series. However let us finish this Part with a reference to the gnostic scripture The Gospel According to Philip, where Mary
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Magdalene is described as the Lord’s "partner". It is then said that he kisses her more than the rest of his disciples and they complain about this. In answer he says to them: Why do I not love you like her? If a blind person and one with sight are both in darkness, they are not different from one another. the light comes, then will the person sight will see the When light, and the blind person remain with in darkness.
We are still dealing with a prostitute, Mary Magdalene. Why is she so important to the Christian story? When we discover her importance, we shall understand why she embarrasses the old theology so much. Remember that she anoints Jesus and thereby confers upon him the status of Christ. This is a ritual of profound significance. It is a "kingmaking". When she is criticized for using such an expensive ointment, Jesus upholds her authority, at John 12:7,8. But that still does not explain why a woman is anointing Jesus and why he allows her to do so. After all that was not Jewish custom at the time. Jesus and Mary Magdalene take part in the Ιερος Γαµος (Ieros Gamos), the Sacred Wedding. The old theology carefully avoids this issue because it is a pagan practice of the era that we are dealing with. At this time in Palestine, a man is made a legitimate king if he has sexual union with the High Priestess. He can only receive his full divine power through the authority of the High Priestess. Without her, his claim to kingship is invalid. The embarrassment of the Church is obvious. We too feel embarrassed, because we have no concept of sacred sexuality. This is not about physical sex, personal gratification or eroticism. It is the belief that in the sacred marriage, the man and woman become as gods and experience the divine. Thus the High Priestess acting as a channel for the divine blesses the king and confers authority upon him. The Sacred Wedding is the ultimate expression of temple prostitution. The body of the Priestess is a metaphor for the gateway to the gods.
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Note carefully that in this belief system, a man needs a woman to approach the gods, but a woman does not need a man. She is in touch with the divine automatically. Hence in the Quest for the Holy Grail, it said that although men must search for the Grail, women already have it. But have not yet finished with Mary Magdalene. day, the we mystery schools of Osiris, Tammuz, Dionysios, In andher Attis, had a rite that required the symbolic death of the god, played by a priest. After three days, the Priestess in the role of the goddess revives the god. During the ritual she says, "They have removed my lord and I do not know where to find him." Why is this relevant to the theology that we are developing? Read John 20:2 where Mary Magdalene says: They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
And again at 20:13 Mary Magdalene tells the angels: They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
Do you still doubt the importance of Mary Magdalene? Clearly she is fulfilling the role of the High Priestess. That is why she acts with authority and bestows the status of Christ on Jesus; and that is why he allows her to do so in defiance of Jewish custom. But there is more.
There is a modern view that the Wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11) refers obliquely to the actual marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Obviously, this is speculation but it makes sense in 44
the context of the Sacred Wedding. What happens in Cana? Jesus and his disciples are "called" to the wedding. There he participates by turning water into wine. In the parable of that era, water symbolizes the human body and wine symbolizes the spirit, both as vehicles of consciousness. By changing water into wine, Jesus transforms consciousness from biological to spiritual. And what is a wedding? It is the lawful union, according to kosmic law, of our male and female natures. What about the soul? The diagram below makes the point clear. It is a process of integration that places the soul as a vehicle of consciousness, in its correct place. Have we finished with Mary now? Not quite. Remember we are dealing with the path that connects Goodness with First Principle. This is the path of pain and sorrow. Upon this path is the non-sphere of Knowledge. The gnostic myths tell us that as an Aeon, Sofia desired to conceive but did so without the concurrence of the masculine principle, that is the masculine did not know her. Refer to Genesis 4:1 and recall that Adam knew Eve and she conceived and gave birth. Sofia did not act this way. She gave birth without the masculine and hence this was a "virgin" birth. What was born? The Demiourgos (Demiurge), the creator god who in turn created the kosmos, a kosmos without Knowledge and therefore in need of redemption and a Redeemer. However Sofia is above the Demiurge and he has no power over her. That is why we can look to her for healing and salvation. We need redemption and salvation. We need a Redeemer and through her as the Virgin Mary, wepersonification have Him. Mother
Now at last, we can consider the virgin birth of Jesus. It is clear from Matthew 1:25, that Joseph did not have sexual relations with Mary before she gave birth to her son. We have already seen that the Greek word parthenos means "virgin". We cannot avoid the issue.
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If we look at the Tree of Life, we are dealing with the letter Φ (fi) and the element Air. It is the path connecting Glory and First Principle. It is very appropriate as the third feminine step because First Principle contains the pattern of order and Glory is the pattern of salvation made manifest. Why else is Jesus born? He is the Redeemer made manifest, who will lead us to salvation. The Tree is itself a pattern of order and as we move along it, we see how it is consistent with the theology we are developing. It is easy enough to understand Mary the mother of Jesus as the personification of the creative aspect of Sofia. However this still does not explain the virgin birth in terms we can comprehend. The path we are considering has attributed to it the letter Φ (fi). This is the first letter of the Greek word Φ ω ς (fos) which means "light". This word is used in six different ways in the New Testament, but the meaning that is significant for understanding the Virgin Birth is in John 8:12, where Jesus says, Εγω ειµι το φως του κοσµου ("I am the light of the world"). We then compare that with John ch 1 v 3-5, All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
The key to the Virgin Birth is the "light" that emanates from the masculine aspect that is within the "life" of the First Principle. The "darkness" is the feminine aspect of the First Principle. To make the point clearer, the Tao is the differentiated unity of the "light" masculine Yang and the "dark" feminine Yin. Just as the Tao simply "is" according to Chinese philosophy, in that manner the First Principle is "self-srcinate" in the gnostic myth. Thus the true nature of the Virgin Birth lies in the self-srcinated nature of the First Principle. At the end, we see the Virgin Birth as a deep mystery that can only be understood when we have
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travelled all the paths on the Tree of Life, with the aid of the 12 spiritual disciplines. The fundamental point is this: The Mother is Sofia giving birth to the Redeemer. ******* Let us review the first three steps on the feminine journey by seeing them in the context of whole of that journey.
The first step from Greatness to Goodness leads directly into the second step from Goodness to First Principle. So the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene follow in sequence. The third step from Glory to First Principle is Mary the Mother. With the fourth step, we shall see Mary as the Widow and finally with her Assumption, Mary will be seen as the personification of Sofia.
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At the time of his ministry, Jesus’ mother was a widow. Why is this so important as to merit a step in the feminine journey? After all widowhood is as common as motherhood. Why is there an issue? Widow
All Freemasons are called "Sons of the Widow". This title comes from Hiram Abiff the Grand Master Mason and architect of Solomon’s Temple, who was murdered by three of his workmen. What has this to do with Jesus? In Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3, Jesus is referred to as (tekton) which is usually translated as "carpenter". This is the usual problem of trying to squeeze Greek into English. The problem is that this word also means "mason" and "builder". Hence αρχητεκτων (archetekton) is correctly translated into English as "architect" with the meaning that this person is the designer and builder of a building. At the time of Jesus and Hiram Abiff, an architect designed and built in stone. So Hiram was a "builder" in this sense and Jesus was also a "builder" in the same sense. There is a specific Greek word for "carpenter" but that is not the word used to describe Jesus. The Masonic myth of the building of Solomon’s Temple in stone is echoed by Jesus who says in John 2:19 that if the temple is destroyed, he will raise it up in three days. That is a clear allusion to his body and that compares with the Masonic myth that we are each builders of our own body as a temple. Perhaps the point is made clear when we realise that Masons call God the Great Architect. Transliterated into Greek that would be Megas Archetekton, the "Great Builder". Since Jesus is described as "tekton", he is the lesser builder doing the work as directed by God as the greater builder. So Hiram and Jesus have a subtle connection as builders of temples and they are both "Sons of the Widow". Where does that take us in the fourth step of the feminine journey? This is the letter Χ (chi) attributed to Fire and connects Wisdom with
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Understanding. It happens that Χ is the first letter of the word Χριστος (Christos) whom we call Christ. Mary as widow and mother stands at the foot of the Cross and watches her son in agony. Truly she is put to the fire. But that still does not explain how the widowhood of Mary and the Christhood of Jesus are connected. We have to revert to a mystery religion that was prevalent in Hellenistic Palestine at the time of Christ. In the myth of Isis, her husband Osiris is murdered by Seth and his body dismembered into 14 pieces. She collects all the pieces except for his phallus. She constructs an artificial one and then reassembles his body for resurrection and sexual union. That is, the "holy ghost" of Osiris has sexual union with the "virgin" but "widowed" Isis and she conceives the "son of god" Horus, who "saves" his people from the evil Seth. That is why one of the titles of Horus is "Son of the Widow". Hence the widowed, virgin mother has an immaculate conception that is vital for the incarnation of the saviour son. Does all of this sound familiar? It is not identical to the story of Jesus but close enough to be highly significant. There is one more thing. The son of the widowed Isis is called Horus because that is his Greek name. In the Egyptian language, his name is Khoor and that is spelled with two hieroglyphics that correspond exactly to the two Greek letters Χ (chi) ρ (rho) that happen to be the first two letters of Χριστος (Christos), whom we call Christ. We must also recall Mary Magdalene and her relationship to the Resurrection. Sofia as the Widow and Sofia as the Magdalene, have complimentary roles. They are opposite aspects of the same inner reality. Through the myth of Isis, we can see the Widow/ Magdalene being concerned with the resurrection of a god or Redeemer. The widowhood of Mary is part of her pain and loss. Although the old theology venerates Mary as the Mother it and the Virgin,
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it does not understand her as the Widow. Mary in her widowhood is another deep mystery that requires study, meditation and prayer in solitude (remember the 12 disciplines?), to understand with wisdom and be wise with understanding. Sofia This is the path of Ψ (psi) that connects Understanding to First Principle. It is attributed to Aether, the divine activating principle. It is the least understood path of the feminine journey because our society completely rejects the issues it involves. By her Assumption, Mary enters heaven as a complete woman having lived the entirety of human experience. Her widowhood should not be underestimated. She is liberated and she is the ascended Sofia. Mary becomes the bride of God in the Greater Sacred Wedding and unites God with humanity. Thus Mary as Sofia can express: •
•
•
The Father as the Foundation of creation that enhances her Power and is the source of her Wisdom and Understanding. The Son as the First Principle of creation, its, meaning, intelligence, truth and justification; that is, its Knowledge, Victory and Kingdom. The Holy Spirit as the Glory of creation, its Greatness, Goodness, holiness, purity and immaculate aspect.
Sofia is the Fourth Person of the Trinity. Without her, the Trinity is incomplete because she is the World Soul and therefore becomes the vehicle of manifestation for the work of the Great Architect. The Eastern Orthodox Church recognises that as Theotokos (God Bearer), Mary allows God to become man, so that man may become God. This is the work of the Great Architect performs for our sake, our Theosis (God Becoming), through the mediation of Sofia. The fact that she is in her rightful place gives us hope. But this is all a myth isn’t it?
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What about "real" women in our society today? For you, Sofia is a strong archetype. She is your divine potential. She is the Power that overcomes adversity in order to complete the feminine journey. Her spirituality is non-linear and therefore not logical. Hence her journey is different from the masculine experience, but she must be known by men. Our problem is that she is so little known by our society at a time when we need her so badly. Circuit of Power
It is time we reconsidered the circuit of power that we saw in Part 4 of this series because we know that there is a deep feminine relationship between some of the paths. In Part 4 we discovered that "…by Goodness you have bestowed Power upon Understanding". On the Tree, Goodness is connected with Power that in turn is connected with Understanding. Who is the "you" who does the bestowing? The Good, that is, First Principle. We therefore have a circuit of spiritual influence as follows: First Principle ⇒ Goodness ⇒ Power ⇒ Understanding ⇒ First Principle
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The First Principle emanates into Goodness, then into Power in order to energize Understanding so that the circuit can be closed when Understanding flows into the First Principle. Note the direction of the arrows. First Principle to Goodness is also the path of Mary Magdalene – but reversed! Only in this way can she, through her undefiled goodness, recover her power and gain understanding of her condition. As Sofia she moves from Understanding to First Principle taking with her all that she has learned and giving it freely to her divine lover in the Sacred Wedding. It has to be this way because in the gnostic myth she desires to conceive without knowledge, hence as she passes down through the path there is no sphere of Knowledge. That lack of Knowledge is the wound on the Tree of Life that we must heal on our inner journey. ******* It is now time for the masculine journey of seven steps. With linear male logic, it is described by the seven vowels of the Greek alphabet and the seven Letters to the seven churches, in the Apocalypse of John The masculine journey should be much easier because it is very clearly defined on the Tree of Life. By contrast, the feminine journey appears disjointed on the Tree, but this is appearance only. Whereas the feminine journey is non-linear and has to be lived and experienced to be understood, the masculine journey is very left brain in its structure and grasping it intellectually, is part of the experience. Let us see it on the Tree: The Masculine Journey
The way in which the path twists and turns reminds us of the mystical labyrinth, the maze of Chartres, the alchemical rose garden and the serpentine path of the activation of the chakras. In typical masculine, linear fashion, we have the description of the experiences of the journey already given to us. They exist in the Apocalypse of John as the 7 Letters to the 7 churches. Let us
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begin by seeing 7 steps of the masculine journey in the table below: Name
Greek English Number Attribute Meaning
Alfa
Α,α
A, a
1
Moon
,
E, e
5
Mercury 2 chakra
Epsilon
st
1 chakra nd
rd
Eta
Η,η
I
8
Venus
3 chakra
Iota
,
I
10
Sun
4 chakra
O, o
70
Mars
5 chakra
Omicron Ο , ο
th
th
th
Ipsilon
Υ,υ
I
Omega
Ω , ω O, o
400
Jupiter
6 chakra
800
Saturn
7 chakra
th
How do we get the connection between the masculine journey and the Apocalypse of John? In the Apocalypse 1:17 Christ says:
I
µ am the first
and the last
How many words do you see? There are 7. How many Letters to how many churches? There are 7. How many vowels in the Greek alphabet? There are 7. How many planets and chakras are there? There are 7. Which is the first letter and first vowel in the Greek alphabet? Alfa. Which is the last letter and the last vowel in the Greek alphabet? Omega. Christ, the "I am", is the entirety of the 3 journeys, but especially the whole of the masculine journey of 7 steps. 53
The numerical value of the first and last letters/vowels Α Ω (alfa + omega) is 1 + 800 = 801, which is the numerical value of Περιστερα , the Greek word for "dove". The dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at his baptism. Hence the masculine path of 7 steps is the path of the Holy Spirit in the sort of way in which the feminine path of 5 steps is the path of Sofia. One more thing before we begin. The 7 steps of the masculine journey are the outer aspect of an inner reality, the 7 stages of the ascent of the soul described in the Gnostic Books of Ieou. More on that later. One further thing. We shall have to consider the identity of "He" that speaks to John and dictates the 7 Letters. He is described in the Apocalypse 1:13-16 as: 1 the Son of man 2 clothed with a garment down to the foot 3 girt with a golden girdle 4 his head & hairs white like wool/snow 5 his eyes as a flame of fire 6 his feet like fine brass 7 his voice as the sound of many waters 8 in his right hand 7 stars 9 out of his mouth a sharp two edged sword 10 his countenance as the sun. He is described in 10 statements because there are 10 spheres on the Tree of Life. "He" is not a member of humanity, as we might believe, just because he is said to be the Son of man. There are 3 different Greek words for "man" used at the time of Christ. Two of them refer to ordinary men but the third, ανθρωπος (anthropos), refers to a higher principle and is the word used to describe Christ. Anthropos is used in 61 different ways in the New Testament and all those meanings derive from the same word. Remember the elephant we are trying to squash into a phone booth? We understand the expression "Son of man" to be an emanation of the First Principle. That is, Anthropos is the
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personification of the First Principle, while the Son of man, as Christ, is the personified emanation of the First Principle. Let us begin the masculine journey. Step 1 – Moon
On the Greek Tree of Life the paths begin from the bottom and go up to the top. This is the first path on the Tree as well as the first letter and vowel in the Greek alphabet. It is attributed to the Moon and connects Kingdom to Foundation. We already know that the principal pagan deity of Ephesos at the time of Christ was Artemis, the goddess of the Moon. She is a virgin and it is a significant that the first masculine step is analogous to the Virgin of the first feminine step. Directly important to the masculine view of the world is that we already know what to expect from this path because we have the description of the experience in the Apocalypse of John 2:1-7, as the first Letter to the church in Ephesos. Before we proceed it is important to note that in the present series of articles, it is impossible to do justice to the 7 Letters to the 7 churches. The full treatment of the entire Apocalypse has been given elsewhere by this writer. Here we shall only look at summaries of the relevant passages of scripture. In each case, John is told to write not to the church, but to the angel of that church; that is he is addressing a higher level of consciousness. Let us look at the summary: 1 To Ephesos 2 says the holder of the 7 stars 3 I know your works 4 I have something against you 5 repent 6 hear what the spirit says 7 he who overcomes shall eat of the Tree of Life. The person dictating the letter to John is the kosmic Christ. He addresses each of us at Ephesos as the metaphysical place from 55
where our journey begins. Of course he holds the 7 stars, they are the 7 chakras. He knows what each of us has done or failed to do, he knows our works. The central issue is that we are to "repent". The Greek word is µετανοησον (metanoison). Our society believes that we have to do little more than to beg for forgiveness and then all will be well. Not true. The word for "repent" comes from a word we have already seen: Νοεσις (Noesis) Understanding. It is the name of the third sphere of the Tree of Life. We are commanded to undergo metanoesis, that is, to go beyond understanding and turn our fundamental nature around. It is a very deep change of our inner nature. This point is so important, that it deserves a whole book. A great deal of mischief has been caused by our failure to properly understand Greek. (The elephant and the phone booth again.) We are commanded to undergo a change in our nature that is so fundamental, that we literally cannot understand it. The first step in the male journey demands that we stop thinking like men. It requires us to discard the very basis of our whole way of life. Merely saying "I’m sorry" as repentance, is clearly not enough. There must be a turning around of our fundamental nature. You thought the female journey was tough, didn’t you? So how do we change our fundamental nature? Have you tried the 12 spiritual disciplines, or like men, merely read about them and think you understand them? The 12 disciplines are the minimum standard of behaviour on the inner journey. What is the point of all this? "He who overcomes shall eat of the Tree of Life". He who undergoes metanoesis, shall absorb the fruit of the Tree. Is the result worth the effort? Unless we do the 12 disciplines we shall not understand that we have to go beyond understanding. And this is only the first step. Our society has a current concern for gender equality and nonspecific gender roles. The problem becomes clear when we examine the inner journey and realise that it has gender-specific
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experiences, all of which must be dealt with. This is not a popular point of view. Step 2 - Mercury
The second masculine step is the letter ε (epsilon) attributed to Mercury and connecting Foundation to Victory. This is the second chakra according to the Greek scheme. More correctly, it is the second chakra to be activated. The Greek name for Mercury is Hermes. This immediately alerts us to the hermetic writings because at the time of Christ, they were the intellectual foundation for the gnostic interpretation of Christianity and are now the foundation for the western esoteric tradition. Mercury is attributed to high intellect and hence on the Tree of Life, this path connects appropriately, Foundation with Victory; but victory over what? Once more let us turn to the Apocalypse at 2:8-11 in the Letter to Smyrna: 1 To Smyrna 2 speaks the first and the last 3 I know your works 4 and the blasphemy 5 fear not 6 hear what the spirit says 7 he that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. Our "works" are the foundation of our spiritual life and they are truly a blasphemy if we do not live to the highest standard. Have you practised the 12 disciplines lately? But if we "overcome", that is if we have victory, we shall not be hurt by the second death. Victory over whom, and what is the second death? We must overcome precisely this path. As men we must overcome our intellect because it is a limitation and barrier. It prevents vision, inspiration and imagination. The intellect is a foundation upon which these other faculties are built. What is the price of failure? The second death. Our society avoids this issue because it has no answer to it. We are told that we are all saved from death and have eternal life by 57
doing nothing more than simply believing and having faith. What then is Christ saying to the church at Smyrna? What is the second death? If it is true extinction, then victory over it is obviously important but the old theology tells us nothing about how to "overcome" it. A deep understanding of the Tree of Life tells us that we can overcome provided we conduct our lives with disciplined action. We must have every human experience and we must go on all the inner journeys. We have the Foundation, so let us go to Victory. Step 3 – Venus
The third masculine step connects Victory to Greatness. It is attributed to η (eta) and Venus. The key to Victory is the proper balancing of the intellect of Mercury with the desire nature and sexuality of Venus. Truly this leads to Greatness because our desire is the powerhouse that energises our intellect, while the intellect directs our desire. Note carefully that desire without intellect is out of control, while intellect without desire is sterile. This is the third chakra to be activated on this journey. The experience is described in the Apocalypse 2:12-17 as the Letter to Pergamos: 1 To Pergamos 2 speaks he with the two edged sword 3 you have kept my faith 4 but I have a few things against you 5 repent 6 hear what the spirit says 7 he that overcomes shall eat hidden manna and receive a white stone and a new name. Christ has a two edged sword and even though we have kept the faith that the Church has taught us, he still has a few things against us. This does not sound like the meek and mild Jesus of the old theology. He demands yet another repentance, yet another fundamental change in our nature. Once is obviously not enough. But this transformation leads to Greatness on the Tree
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of Life because we shall eat hidden manna, receive a white stone and a new name. All of this deserves detailed explanation and the writer of these articles has published this elsewhere. At present let us note that a new name is the external evidence of an inner transformation. It is now clear that having simply not enough. transform ourselves and wefaith mustisdo it repeatedly. But We whatmust else would we expect on the inner journey? Observe however that this constant need for change is not required on the feminine journey. The female path is a smooth flow. It has an internal continuity and consistency. One stage flows into the next, almost effortlessly. By contrast, the male journey requires frequent upheaval. Do you still think that men have it easy? Step 4 – Sun
The fourth masculine step connects Greatness with Power and is attributed to ι (iota) and the Sun. It is the fourth chakra to be activated and interestingly, coincides with the Hindu and Buddhist systems, in that their fourth chakra is attributed to the Sun. The point is that the Greek system is to be understood not as indicating the position of a chakra, but rather as the order of activation of that chakra. The distinction is subtle but important. For a description of the experience we go to the Apocalypse 2:18-29, as the Letter to Thyatira: 1 To Thyatira 2 speaks he with eyes like flame 3 I know your charity, faith and patience 4 but you allow Jezebel to seduce my servants 5 I will kill her children 6 to he that overcomes I will give authority and the morning star. 7 hear what the spirit says Christ has eyes like flame and he will kill children. Again, not very meek sounding. Even charity, faith and patience on our part are not enough to please Him. But if we overcome, we shall 59
receive power in the form of authority. Indeed by a further transformation we shall achieve the Power that comes from Greatness. The Tree at least, operates with a logical consistency. It is we on the masculine journey who have to constantly overcome our inner nature and continuously transform it. Jezebel is the of everything about our society that seduces uspersonification into a "feel good" life style. The children to be killed are our own desires, thoughts and actions that prevent our personal transformation. Does this sound ruthless? Yes it is. Is this what you expected? No it isn’t, but you stand to gain the morning star. It is the sign that heralds the rising of the Sun. It is a reference to the correct activation of this chakra. Is that desirable? If you don’t do it, you cannot proceed. One final point. The numerical value of ι (iota) is 10, the number of spheres on the Tree of Life. There is something about this particular transformation that encapsulates the entire Tree. All steps on the masculine journey are important but this one is vital. Hence the emphasis upon overcoming the products of the "feel good" society. Are you feeling tired and weary, getting discouraged and wondering whether any of this is worth the effort? That’s good because it gets worse. ******* Just a reminder; in each Letter to each church we are told to "hear what the spirit says". The numerical value of the first and last letters/vowels of the Greek alphabet Α Ω (alfa + omega) is 1 + 800 = 801, which is the numerical value of Περιστερα , the Greek word for "dove". The dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. In our understanding of the Tree of Life, small details like this are important.
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What is the fundamental difference between the male and female journeys? Women feel while men think. That is why it is so much harder for men. Transformation comes from feeling not thinking. Women feel through their bodies as a natural consequence of who they are. That is why sexuality is their path to spirituality. In order to feel, men need to be wounded. That is why so much is demanded from them. Men have to learn that their wound is sacramental and the key to transformation. Is it any wonder that self-gratification and "feel good" are more popular? Step 5 – Mars
The fifth masculine step is the letter ο (omicron) connecting Power to Glory and attributed to Mars. It is the fifth chakra to be activated and is of particular significance to the man who seeks to be wounded – the warrior. Yes, men must positively accept their wound and make it the source of their power. That is why older and wiser societies than ours, recognised glory as the legitimate expression of the power generated by the masculine woundedness. Today, we understand the warrior so little, that we pride ourselves about how we despise the Victory and Greatness that are the Foundation of his Power and Glory. In our society men suffer in silent pain. They are despised if they cry out and also if they do not cry out. Let us see what the Apocalypse has for us 3:1-6, as the Letter to Sardis: 1 To Sardis 2 speaks he with 7 spirits and 7 stars 3 you are alive and dead 4 be watchful and strengthen 5 remember 6 he that overcomes I shall not blot out his name 7 hear what the spirit says. Men are "alive" or "dead" depending on how they react to their pain. To be alive is to feel the wound and be transformed by it, to be watchful and strengthened. These are hard sayings but 61
these are hard times. It has never been as hard as today, to be a man. But remember, if we overcome our pain, our name shall not be blotted out. Another ruthless statement from Christ. He demands the absolute commitment that only the 12 disciplines can give us. Have you tried them lately? Men, embrace your pain. It is the Power that gives you Glory. Thus speaks He who holds the 7 spirits and the 7 stars. The stars are the chakras and the spirits are the intelligence of the chakras. Step 6 – Jupiter
The sixth masculine step is the letter υ (ipsilon), the sixth chakra, attributed to Jupiter and connecting Glory to Wisdom. It is obvious isn’t it, that wisdom is the result of the pain that glorifies? Wisdom is of course, the abstraction of Sofia. Men try to think wisely instead of feeling Sofia directly. The barrier to feeling wisdom is an unconscious realisation that sexuality is involved. How then is wisdom to be felt? Let us look at the Apocalypse, 3:7-13 as the Letter to Philadelphia: 1 To Sardis 2 speaks he with 7 spirits and 7 stars 3 you are alive and dead 4 be watchful and strengthen 5 remember 6 he that overcomes I shall not blot out his name 7 hear what the spirit says. Now at last, we are making progress. That is the whole point of knowing Wisdom in the heart. Pain does that. We have kept His word, that is, we have experienced the pain and humiliation, so He will write upon us a new name. That is, He will acknowledge openly our inner transformation, for He has always loved us. We have never been alone or abandoned, for he is holy, true and has the key that opens and shuts. His love for us comes from the heart and that is related to passion and desire. He is the son of Mary, the personification of Sofia and hence she is very close to the surface. We need so much to feel her once again.
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Step 7 – Saturn
This is the seventh masculine step, attributed to Ω ,ω (omega), the seventh chakra and Saturn. It connects Wisdom with First Principle. It is the last and culminating step in the inner journey. The experience is appropriately described in the Apocalypse as the Letter to the Laodiceans, 3:14-22; 1 To Philadelphia 2 speaks he who is holy, true, has the key and opens/shuts 3 you have kept my word 4 know that I have loved you 5 behold 6 to he that overcomes I will write upon him my new name 7 hear what the spirit says. Significantly, this Letter is addressed to the people, not the city of Laodicea. This difference implies a change of consciousness and that is what we would expect. Again we have the problem of the inappropriate translation of the word "beginning". Once more the Greek word is (arche) and according tour interpretation, means First Principle. Thus we hear that the First Principle of the creation of God wants us to be completely focussed as either hot or cold. No fuzzy "feel good" here. He tells us to anoint our eyes to see. Thus we too must become anointed ones, Christs. If we become as He is, He shall open the door and we shall sit on His throne. That is why men have made this journey. To become fully masculine, express that aspect of the First Principle and sit on the throne. It is the duty of all men to travel the maze, experience the pain and be transformed by it. Note once more the maze-like quality of the seven masculine steps in the diagram below.
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Have you seen something else? There are five paths that lead directly into First Principle from Goodness, Power, Glory, Understanding and Wisdom. There are three feminine paths, from Goodness, Glory and Understanding; one masculine path from Wisdom; and one combined path from Power. All three journeys end at the same place, but the female journey takes pride of place. Thus our understanding emphasises the feminine as especially important. It follows logically that women must take an active role in the Church as clergy. In the cases where this already happens, the mistake has been made for women to fulfill men’s roles. They are women priests instead of being priestesses. We shall not assist Sofia until women fulfill their archetypal duty of love, mercy and healed sexuality. Male clergy have trouble doing this even if they have found their feminine side.
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******* It is time for a rest because the worst has yet to come. The journey of the deep masculine, the Gnostic ascent of the soul. It can only be accomplished by men who have felt their pain, whose wounds are sacraments and who have completed the outer masculine journey. It is the privilege of men to perform their journey twice. The first time is to feel their pain and discover their sacramental wound. The second time is to experience the ascent of the soul and set into motion the hidden processes of the kosmos in order to efface karma and redirect their future incarnations. Although women have to do this too, we are dealing with archetypal principles and therefore speak in terms of gender-specific roles. We have all heard of the Egyptian and Tibetan Books of the Dead. Didthe you know Books there are Christian Books the Dead? They are gnostic of Ieou. Christ is theofcentral figure and to understand His role in those books, we need to know that they were written by ethnic Egyptians who became Christians in the late Hellenistic period, that is c 100-300 CE. They undoubtedly transformed their ancient beliefs as expressed in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, into a Christian form. Thus Christ combines the roles of, Horus as the conductor of souls, Anubis as the performer of the balance, Ma’at as the principle of truth against which the actions of the deceased are balanced, Thoth as the recorder of the result of the trial, Osiris as the judge and Typhon as the executioner. The Egyptians understood the analogy of death as initiation and the metaphor of initiation as death, because they realised that essentially, both are out of body experiences. For that reason, Christ admonishes his disciples to maintain a very high standard of discipline and action. Even a cursory reading of the Books of Ieou demonstrates this necessity.
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In essence, these teachings are a transcendent mysticism, which requires years of detailed study. For the purposes of these articles, we shall focus on one issue only, the ascent of the soul. In the Books of Ieou, Christ makes it clear that what He is teaching must be done by the soul after it leaves the body. We interpret this asand a reference to the vehicle of consciousness the soul as the body carrierasofa personal identity. This means that Christ is referring to a different level of reality from here and now. He is referring to the place of symbols, dreams, visions, images, metaphors and analogies. Thus what happens at this level of reality during initiation also happens here at death, because in both instances, the soul leaves the body to experience this reality. Therefore initiation is the metaphor for death and the near death experience is the analogy for initiation. Hence it is legitimate for us to use the hermetic and gnostic practices implied in the Books of Ieou, to explore the processes of death. Fundamentally, the soul has to navigate the inner landscape by a conscious and deliberate visualisation that focuses on each planet in turn. That is why we have looked at the planets in the first male journey. But that is only the warm up. The second journey requires us to consider death as an initiation. Thus if the first journey is sacramental, the second journey is initiatory. That is why the second journey gives us the opportunity to redirect our future incarnations. Books of Ieou Since you may not be familiar with the text, the relevant part is set out below: "But the paralemptai (receivers) of the Treasury of the Light come and they bring forth the soul from the body, until they pass through all the aeons and the places of the invisible God, and they take it to the Treasury of the Light. And they erase all sins which they have committed knowingly, and those which they have committed unknowingly. And they make them to be pure 66
light. And the soul leaps continually from place to place, until it reaches the Treasury of the Light. And it passes into the interior of the watchers of the Treasury of the Light. And they (the souls) pass into the interior of the three amens. And they pass into the interior of the twins, and they pass into the interior of the triplepowered one, and they pass into the interior of the ranks of the five trees, and they pass into the interior of the seven voices. And they exist in the place which is within them, which is the place of the incomprehensible ones of the Treasury of the Light. And furthermore all these ranks give to them their seals and mysteries, because they have received mysteries before they came forth from the body."
Let us analyse what we are being told. First, the soul is brought forth from the body, so this is definitely an out of body experience. Secondly, sins are erased, or, karma is effaced. They are made into pure light. That is, the hidden processes of the kosmos are now activated for the liberation of the soul. This is how future incarnations are directed. Thirdly, there is the second male journey of seven steps. The soul reaches the Treasury of the Light and: 1. Passes into the interior of the watchers. 2. Passes into the interior of the three amens. 3. Passes into the interior of the twins. 4. Passes into the interior of the triple-powered one. 5. Passes into the interior of the ranks of the five trees. 6. Passes into the interior of the seven voices. 7. Exists in the place of the incomprehensible ones. Fourthly, the liberated soul exists in the place of the incomprehensible ones of the Treasury of the Light. Fifthly, at each step, the soul is given seals and mysteries because it received mysteries before it came forth from the body. It did that in the first journey when the man felt his pain and found his wound. Now, the deep masculine experiences the light. Let us try to grasp this by looking at it in a table:
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Name
Gree Englis Ieou k h
Attribut Meanin e g
Alfa
Α , α A, a
Watchers
Moon
st
1 chakra nd
Epsilon Ε , ε
E, e
3 Amens
Mercury 2
Eta
Η,η
I
Twins
Venus
Iota
,
I
3-Powered
Sun
4 chakra
Omicro Ο , ο n
O, o
5 Trees
Mars
5 chakra
Ipsilon
I
7 Voices
Jupiter
6 chakra
Υ,υ
chakra rd 3 chakra th
th
th
th
Omega
Ω , ω O, o
Incomprehensibl Saturn e Ones
7 chakra
Thus the Moon path has the Watchers; the Mercury path has the Three Amens; the Venus path has the Twins; the Sun path has the Triple Powered Ones; the Mars path has the Five Trees; the Jupiter path has the Seven Voices; and the Saturn path has the Incomprehensible Ones. Does all this make sense? It shouldn’t. Not in a left brain way. This is all right brain, vision, revelation, imagination, intuition and inspiration. You will not understand this by reading about it. You must experience it directly. Now at last, we are talking about Christian initiation. This is the time for the fourth journey, the Christ Journey. All initiation is life changing. What is so special about Christian initiation? To understand this question we must go back to Greek metaphysics and mythology in order to understand the Greek concept of fate. It has three stages: pre-incarnation, during life, and at death. It is personified as feminine archetypes as follows.
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Prior to incarnation, the Tree Fates, three ugly old hags, Klotho, Lachesis and Atropos, apportion a man’s share of good and evil, that is, his fate. Klotho is the spinner who by spinning the thread of his life creates the foundation of his experiences. Lachesis measures the thread of his glory (or its opposite) and Atropos exercises the power to cut it. During life, a man has to contend with three goddesses: Anangke, Tyche and Nemessis. The first, Anangke, means Necessity. She personifies the greatness of the law of moral cause and effect and is karma in its strict application. Therefore she is remorselessly predictable unless some other factor mitigates her action. The second, Tyche, means Chance not in the scientific sense of randomness, but rather in the sense of chaos theory that is, deterministic but unpredictable. Thus she modifies her sister’s conduct but makes things worse because she makes it hard for a man to have victory over his fate. The third is Nemessis and her name means Divine Anger. She is utterly ruthless, pitiless and merciless. She pursues a man to the ends of the Earth. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. She knows. It is her knowledge of our actions, thoughts and feelings that makes her so terrible. At death, the three Keres, agents of the Tree Fates, carry out the grim duty of execution. They carry the dead man’s soul to the place of shadows. The Keres are really the Three Fates in another form because they sit on the boundary of life and death. Is all of this depressing? It should be. For the Greeks, initiation was designed to liberate them from the wrath of these dreadful females. By initiation in the Greek mystery schools a man sought what we now call salvation. Christian initiation added a new dimension to previous practices. The Christian factor is the forgiveness of sins. Our problem is that we have no idea what this means. We think that nothing more is required than for the priest to say: "Bless you my son/daughter, your sins are forgiven." If that were true you would not be reading this article now. Moreover, the history of the last 2,000 years would have
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been radically different. Clearly, something is wrong with our understanding. There is something missing. Fate is the law of moral consequence that transforms us as spiritual beings. Our moral choices change our fate and therefore change our future incarnations. By accepting personal responsibility, we change lives. By changing we change the world. The keyour to the problem is this: our our lives, society lives on the principle of self-gratification and "feel good". Thus Greek fate acts inexorably and mercilessly upon us. What evidence do we want? Drugs, crime, suicide, poverty, depression, despair? Under Greek fate, we get exactly what we ask for, without pity or mitigation. But at the very moment we accept personal responsibility and make moral choices, we begin to efface our karma and ameliorate our fate. We are on the brink of understanding the Christian mystery of the forgiveness of sins. This is the extra factor that takes us to Christian initiation and salvation. Let us look at all of this on the Tree of Life in order to make sense of it.
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Greek fateThe is locked into aand rigid pattern shown inare the above diagram. Three Fates the three as goddesses implacable and immovable. Cause creates remorseless effect, without mercy. No wonder the ancient Greek dramas were concerned with the tragedy of human life. Greek initiation involved great difficulty and it still does because of the way in which our society functions today. The real tragedy is that it is easier now, to be liberated, but we have not yet understood what is required of us. The Christian initiation brings the factor that breaks the deadlock it brings the forgiveness of sins. The
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greatest tragedy of all is that we do not understand that the other side of forgiveness is the acceptance of personal responsibility. By making moral choices we set into motion the hidden processes of the kosmos that inevitably efface our karma by "forgiving our sins". Thus on the Tree above, •
• •
• •
• •
We spin our life thread so that it becomes the Foundation of our life. We measure our thread to Glorify our life. We exercise our Power of choice to cut the thread when we should do so. Our true Greatness is the understanding of necessity. Our Victory is the triumph over apparently chance and meaningless events. Our Knowledge averts the terrible process of a rigid fate. By choosing Christ, we choose to accept personal responsibility and set into motion the forgiveness of sins.
These are the hidden processes of the kosmos. The activating factor is our moral choice. The Christian mystery is revealed by Christ but, we must choose Him. We must make the Christ Journey. The beginning of this Journey is the conscious choice to activate our repressed right brain functions and balance them with our very well developed left brain functions. Again we turn to the Tree for assistance.
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Our right brain functions are the Inspiration that comes from true knowledge, the Imagination that is the basis of all human greatness and the Intuition that alone can bring victory to our life struggles. These blessings are bestowed upon us when we choose to undergo Christian initiation. It has three steps: Probation, Illumination and Initiation. The mystery of the forgiveness of sins becomes direct experience when all this is done by the exercise of moral choice. The point is that according to the Books of Ieou the ascent of the soul in full consciousness comes with the forgiveness of sins. That is, the second male journey can now commence. That journey is far beyond the scope of these articles.
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But we still have to get to Probation, Illumination and Initiation. How do we do that? That is what the Christ Journey is about. We shall end this series by examining The Christ Journey takes us to Probation, Illumination and Initiation. They in turn lead us to the faculties of Inspiration, Imagination Thus gifted, we can article perform ascent of the and soulIntuition. in full consciousness. In this wethe examine the Christ Journey with its 3 stages and 10 steps. The 3 stages are the 3 pillars on the Tree of Life. The 10 steps are the 10 spheres on the Tree. Let us look at this in totality.
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3 Stages
The abstract principles of the spheres have been personified in order to give us an image to act as a compass as we navigate the Tree. This activates the faculty of Imagination and that gives us the clue for where to begin.
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Let us commence with the left pillar as the first stage because Imagination is the true Greatness of humanity and is therefore found in sphere 8. This is personified as Peter, the ‘rock’ upon which Christ built His Church. It took great Imagination to see such a vision when Peter failed so badly, by denying Christ three times just before the Crucifixion. Next we go to sphere 5 and John the Baptist. It was his Illumination that recognised the Son of God and his Power that performed the Baptism. Sphere 3 completes this pillar with the Understanding of Mary as the Mother of Sorrows. If she does not understand our pain, who can? Thus the left pillar of Righteousness has the formula: Righteousness = Greatness + Power + Understanding ⇒ Imagination/Illumination Next we go to the right pillar as the second stage, because it is the polar opposite of the left. It is the Intuition of Mary Magdalene in sphere 7 that gives her Victory. After all, the prostitute anoints the king and this is the Victory of the feminine principle. John the Beloved in sphere 4 reveals the Glory of Christ’s love and His plan for our salvation. Initiation is another way of explaining salvation and John the Beloved is an obvious example of the result of Initiation. Finally in sphere 2 we have the Wisdom of Joseph as the personified Father. Little is seen or heard of Joseph and just like Our Father, he must be experienced through the Son. The right pillar of Mercy has the formula: Mercy = Victory + Glory + Wisdom ⇒ Intuition/Initiation The third stage is the middle pillar of Grace. We must all begin the Christ Journey as Probationers and we must imitate Christ. He has a Virgin Birth into the Kingdom but what does that mean for us? We need to emerge into the spiritual life with a minimum standard of consciousness. How do we reach that standard? Have you tried the 12 disciplines lately? The Foundation of Christ’s mission is His Baptism because that is when He begins. For us it is a higher level of consciousness. Next, His act of Choice leads to His Transfiguration. In our lives
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Choice is the factor that helps us to break out of the grip of implacable fate by invoking the forgiveness of sins; truly, Goodness made manifest. What follows is very unpleasant for our "feel good" society. The Crucifixion leads to Death and Resurrection. This is a deep mystery for us, but it is the ultimate Knowledge and gives us the Inspiration to live as full human beings. Remember that to be liberated, we must have every human experience. We achieve that when we know. Finally, there is the Ascension that for us means the full conscious union with the First Principle just as for Christ it means full conscious union with the Father. Truly, Grace is the result of this. The formula for the middle pillar of Grace is: Grace = Kingdom + Foundation + Goodness + Knowledge + First Principle ⇒ Probation/Inspiration But there is something more isn’t there? The pillar of Grace has an extra element when compared with the left and right pillars. It has the non-sphere of Knowledge and that is activated by the Crucifixion. This is the sacrificial and voluntary Death and Resurrection without which Grace will not flow. The Church teaches that we get Grace without deserving it. Once more look at your life and ask whether Grace has flowed to you without effort on your part. Our understanding points out the obvious, that Knowledge is the activating principle that causes Grace to flow into our lives. Why does it not happen easily? To answer that question, ask yourself: have you put aside the selfgratification of "feel good" and have you sought Crucifixion? The 10 steps of the Christ Journey are performed in reverse order on the Tree, that is, from bottom to top, from Kingdom to First Principle. That is why we begin as Probationers. We are on probation until we receive Inspiration from Knowledge. Then we proceed with divine guidance to the end of the Journey. Step 1 – Kingdom
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The Gospels are very clear that the Kingdom is at hand all around us, but we cannot see it. We need a Virgin Birth experience in order perceive our inheritance. First, this means that Mary the Virgin is right here in this metaphysical place. Please refer back to the first step in the feminine journey as to who she is and what she means. Secondly, she is the dark yin aspect and polar opposite of the light yang aspect that exists in the First Principle. Without this great polarity the Tree of Life would not manifest. Thirdly, to experience the required state of consciousness we must practice the 12 disciplines because they are the minimum standard of behaviour. Fourthly we must have performed the combined, feminine and masculine journeys. Self-gratification is a lot easier isn’t it? From now on all comments will be made on the assumption that the three lower journeys (combined, feminine, masculine) have been completed. Step 2 – Foundation
We need the change of consciousness symbolised by the Baptism. There are in fact three baptisms: water, Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16), because there are three pillars on the Tree of Life and three stages to the Christ Journey. Baptism is a change of consciousness. As Step 2, it is the Foundation of our spiritual experience. The first path for us to tread is α (alfa) attributed to the Moon. Here the journey of the deep masculine, the ascent of the soul, begins to emerge because we are taking this step in full consciousness. Our personal Baptism is a change of consciousness. Now we have eyes to see and ears to hear. Step 3 – Greatness
Throughout the Gospels, Peter is depicted as having trouble grasping what is required of him until Pentecost, when he is infused with the Holy Spirit. Thus we see the left brain intellect transformed into Imagination. To get to him we must tread the paths of β (beta), Aries, from Kingdom and δ (delta), Gemini, from Foundation. Here we get to the key to unlocking the rigid
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and merciless fate that awaits us. This is where we become conscious of the workings of fate and therefore, of the effects of our moral choices. This is true Greatness. Step 4 – Victory
To experience Mary Magdalene we must tread the paths of γ (gamma), Taurus, from Kingdom, ε (epsilon), Mercury on the ascent of the soul from Foundation and η (eta), Venus on the ascent of the soul from Greatness. She is the Victory of desire over intellect. This is the basis for Intuition as a spiritual faculty. We feel truth rather than perceive it as concepts. Our moral choices are instinctively correct rather than calculated. This is a different way of approaching our fate. Remember how Mary washes Jesus’ feet with her tears and wipes them with her hair? In the end she anoints Him and it is her intuition that guides her moral choice. It is her intuition that transforms her from prostitute into priestess. We can learn a great deal from Mary. Step 5 – Goodness
This is the Transfiguration and it changes our nature completely. We tread the path of ζ (zeta), Cancer from Foundation, θ (theta), Earth from Greatness and κ (kappa), Leo from Victory. Goodness is revealed in the person of Christ as He is thoroughly transformed. He is flanked by Elijah as the left pillar of Righteousness and Moses as the right pillar of Mercy. Beneath Him are Peter (path from Greatness), James (path from Foundation) and John (path from Victory). For the whole experience, refer to Matthew 17:1-27, Mark 9:2-32 and Luke 9:28-45. This is where we are able to exercise moral choice in such a way as to set into motion the mystery of the forgiveness of sins and efface our karma. This is the experience that breaks the deadlock of implacable fate and allows us to work towards our liberation. It does not mean that the way ahead is easy, far from it, but now we have a good basis for faith and belief. For us, such an internal transformation, is yet another change of consciousness. We are now able to make conscious and 79
deliberate moral choices with the express purpose of changing our fate and our future incarnations. ******* Greatness + Victory = Goodness; Imagination + Intuition = Choice ******* Step 6 – Power
Only John the Baptist has such Power. He is approached by ι (iota) and the Sun on the ascent of the soul from Greatness (is he not great?) and via µ (mi) and Libra from Goodness (is he not good?). He is the great Illuminator and performs the rite that begins Christ’s mission. He has a similar function for us, if we can use our Imagination. Remember that the path of the Sun connects Imagination directly with Illumination. There is a very close relationship between Illumination and Initiation as we shall see with John the Beloved. The Power to illuminate flows into the glory revealed by our initiation. Step 7 – Glory
The love embodied by John the Beloved can only be described as Glory because no other word is adequate. If you have followed the Journey so far, Imagination plus Intuition lead to Choice. We can then choose Illumination and Initiation. The steps are cumulative in their effect. Be very certain that at this stage of our inner journey, there are no accidents and no random, meaningless events. Everything that occurs to us is the result of our choices. We choose Initiation either consciously or unconsciously. It is often a very painful experience. We approach John via λ (lambda), Virgo from Victory, ν (ni), Scorpio from Goodness and ο (omicron), Mars on the ascent of the soul from Power. We can see that the steps are cumulative in their effect and they are building up to a climactic event, the Knowledge that can only come from Death and Resurrection. 80
Non-Sphere – Knowledge
This is the Crucifixion. Notice how the paths literally cross at this point on the Tree. Traditionally this place on the Tree is regarded as the Abyss and this explains why Knowledge is not a sphere in actual manifestation. It has to be brought out of the darkness by blood sacrifice, bywe Death andall Resurrection. Only by dying and and living again do know; else is idle speculation. But from Knowledge comes Inspiration and this guides us with certainty and truth. Is the sacrifice worth it or is "feel good" better? There is no polite way to say this: we must offer ourselves up for Crucifixion as a living sacrifice. The result is Gnosis and that is yet again, a radical change in consciousness. The moral choices we make to activate the forgiveness of sins must have a higher purpose than simply to let us off the hook of our fate. By choosing with Knowledge we gain the Inspiration to do God’s work. There can be no other reason for struggling to get to this point.
We approach the Death and Resurrection experience via ξ (xi), Water from Goodness, ρ (rho), Capricorn from Power and τ (tav), Pisces from Glory. Mary Magdalene is here and her experience is part of the process of bringing Knowledge out of 81
the darkness. This change of consciousness is so radical that we can hardly imagine what it may mean. That is why it has to be experienced and not read about. The literal crossing of the paths is significant and indicates that our personal crucifixion is not merely a symbolic statement. To get to follow theKnowledge formula: from below its position on the Tree we Knowledge = Goodness + Power + Glory ⇒ Inspiration = Choice + Illumination + Initiation Understanding the formula gives us an insight into the process. Knowledge transmutes into Inspiration as a consequence of our Choice to undergo Illumination and Initiation. In turn, the Choice for Inspiration is the Choice for personal Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection. What will we choose when we get to this point? Self-gratification, "feel good", avoidance, denial? We have already made all of these choices in the past. The above diagram helps us to understand our position by putting all the spheres into a context of Crucifixion because above Knowledge we have Understanding, Wisdom and First Principle. Follow the paths: Initiation (Glory) ⇒ Inspiration (Knowledge) ⇒ Understanding Illumination (Power) ⇒ Inspiration (Knowledge) ⇒ Wisdom Choice (Goodness) ⇒ Inspiration (Knowledge) ⇒ First Principle Knowledge is transmuted into Inspiration by the Crucifixion and this is put into motion by Choice, our personal choice for Death and Resurrection. Do you still want to know? It is impossible to overstate the importance of Knowledge as a part of the process of spiritual transformation we call the Christ Journey. It is actually impossible to "know" Knowledge as a left brain concept. Knowledge is an experience and that is why we can only "know" it by Crucifixion. In a further attempt to grasp
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the ungraspable, let us return to the pentagram that we first saw in Part 3 of this series.
Knowledge emerges out of and is therefore the consequence of a dynamic interplay of forces. (Have you seen the pun? The word "dynamic" comes from the Greek word "Dynamis" which means "Power"). As a formula it looks like this: First Principle ⇒ Glory ⇒ Understanding ⇒ Wisdom ⇒ Power
⇒ First Principle = Knowledge There is a sense in which we must first grasp all the other spheres of the Tree before we can bring forth the non-sphere of Knowledge. That is why we must do the combined, feminine and masculine journeys before the Christ Journey. The emergence of Knowledge on the Tree is a higher version of the Virgin Birth. This means that we are dealing with a deep mystery and it therefore requires all the right brain processes of
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Imagination, Intuition, Illumination and Initiation, which we must activate by a positive Choice. Again we note that this implies a radical change of our consciousness. Step 8 – Understanding
Can we now "understand" Understanding? Probably not and that is why we need Mary as the Mother of Sorrows to personify the concept. In this capacity Mary is not only the Mother, she is also the Widow. It is as well to remember that the non-sphere of Knowledge involves Mary both as the Virgin (in a form of the Virgin Birth) and also as the experience of the Magdalene. It is in this context that Understanding follows Knowledge. We must be very clear on this, Knowledge is the first part of a process of which Understanding is the second and Wisdom is the third. What is it that we must understand? Mary as the Virgin gives birth to the Redeemer then as the Mother and Widow, watches Him die in order to live again. Can we truly "understand"? Only if we imitate Mary in all her aspects. That is a very tall order indeed. We approach Mary via π (pi), Sagittarius from Power and τ (tav), Pisces from Glory through Knowledge. The formula is: Understanding = Power + Glory + Knowledge Every Sunday morning we intone the Lord’s Prayer and say, "…..for thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory……", as a matter of routine. What do we "understand" by this? Note also that Mary stands at the top of the left pillar of Righteousness and this is the first stage of the Christ Journey. Thus she embodies the Greatness of Imagination and the Power of Illumination within her own Understanding. We need to "understand" all of these principles in order to "know" Understanding. Step 9 – Wisdom
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The path that connects Understanding with Wisdom is very subtle because the difference between the two concepts is itself very subtle. It is easy to confuse one with the other, but they must be kept apart in dynamic (that word again) tension. This is the path of χ (chi) and Fire. It is the path of the Widow on the feminine journey and needs to seen as a part of the Resurrection process. We are reminded of the widowed Isis and her role in the resurrection of the dead Osiris. In our case, we already know that Mary (as the Mother and Widow) stands at the foot of the Cross when Christ dies and this is linked to Mary Magdalene with her part in the process. If we "understand" Mary as Virgin, Mother and Widow, together with Mary Magdalene as the priestess, to be aspects of Sofia, then the picture emerges. But note that we need that level of consciousness we call Knowledge so that we can Understand with Wisdom and be Wise with Understanding. We also approach Joseph via ρ (rho), Capricorn from Power through Knowledge and υ (ipsilon), Jupiter on the ascent of the soul from Glory. There is something very interesting here. We are dealing with the paths of Χ ,χ (chi), Ρ ,ρ (rho) and Υ ,υ (ipsilon). The letters Χ ρ (chi/rho) are the first two letters of Χριστος (Christ) and Υ (ipsilon) is written with a fork above a single stroke. The Gnostics used this letter to denote the Person of the Son with his dual Nature of Human and Divine. The formula is: Wisdom = Power + Knowledge + Glory Wisdom is personified by Joseph as the earthly aspect of the Great Father. Just like Our Father, we see and hear little of Joseph and the emphasis remains upon the Son. The supreme act of Wisdom by Joseph is to listen to the instruction he receives from the angel and to marry the already pregnant Mary. Wisdom is the act that is based not upon ignorant and blind obedience, but upon Knowledge of what is involved and Understanding of what must be done. Is this how we normally act? Really?
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Joseph stands at the top of the right pillar of Mercy and embodies the Victory of Intuition and the Glory of Initiation, within his own Wisdom. We need to "understand" all of these principles in order to "know" Wisdom. Step 10 – First Principle
This is the Ascension into a completely incomprehensible level of consciousness. It is a Virgin Birth into a state that we cannot "understand" in any sense of that word. We can do little more than note that we approach this sphere via: 1. ξ (xi), Water from Goodness through Knowledge. This is the second feminine step of Mary Magdalene with its connotations of anointing the Redeemer and assisting in His Resurrection. 2. σ (sigma), Aquarius from Power. 3. φ (fi), Air from Glory. This is the third feminine step of the Mother who gives the Virgin Birth. 4. ψ (psi), Aether from Understanding. This is the fifth feminine step and the Assumption of Mary as Sofia. The final step of the feminine journey ends appropriately with the First Principle. The dark yin reunites with the light yang. The Mother joins the Redeemer to whom she gave Birth as a Virgin. 5. ω (omega), Saturn on the ascent of the soul from Wisdom. Again, appropriately, the final step of the masculine journey in both its outer and inner aspects ends with the First Principle. First Principle stands at the top of the middle pillar of Grace and is truly the pillar of consciousness where the great initiations of the Christ Journey are performed. There are five initiations from the bottom of the Tree up to the top and we must imitate Christ in all of them. Each Initiation involves a change in our level of consciousness and this is personified by the images we have considered:
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Virgin Birth, Baptism, Transfiguration, Death/Resurrection, Ascension This is how we can understand Grace, as the natural consequence of the completion of the Christ Journey. In that sense it is a deep mystery because although it encompasses the forgiveness of because sins, it isthese a much concept than that. point is subtle twogreater concepts are confused byThe the old theology and that is why we are told by it not to worry and have faith because Grace is freely given without merit or work on our part. Really? Have you seen it in your life? It is easier to "feel good" isn’t it? Let us end this journey by examining the five stages of transformation as they affect our levels of conscious awareness: 1. Virgin Birth: as a result of the combined, feminine and
2.
3.
4. 5.
masculine journeys, we spiritual emerge into a state of consciousness of a new reality. Baptism: like Jesus, we become aware of our mission for this life. This experience is characterised by the statement, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). Transfiguration: like Jesus, we are totally transformed and receive authority from that experience. This is characterised by the statement, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). Authority comes from the extra statement, "hear ye him". This is therefore a cumulative change from the previous stage. Death/Resurrection: we must choose to die so that we live and therefore to know. Ascension: we enter the gateless gate to the pathless path that lies beyond. We cannot even imagine what this level of consciousness is like. It is however a state in which we no longer need the structured and disciplined action provided by the Tree of Life. We are truly free to make our own way.
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******* We have come a long way on all these journeys and it has been very tiring. You were warned though and cannot complain that you did not know what you were doing. The fundamental principle of all these journeys is personal responsibility and now you can understand why that is so. You might have guessed, but this is only the beginning. All you have seen in these articles is an introduction to the Great Work of Salvation. Much can be written but in the end, it is all empty words unless you take responsibility for yourself. Make moral choices, change your fate and direct your future incarnations. ******* As a post-script, the last article in this series will examine the relationship between the Greek and Hebrew Trees of Life. Let us finish this series as we began, by considering the relationship between Greek and Hebrew kabala. The Fibonacci spirals of a sunflower give us a good visual analogy. They are similar in their form and cross over each other, but they go in different directions. We shall consider the Greek and Hebrew Trees of Life in the same way and take note of where they are similar and where they differ.
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There is a common centre in the above diagram in the form of a circle. This manifests in the Greek and Hebrew Trees as the 10 spheres and 3 pillars common to both. That is, they each have the same fundamental structure as their starting point. We can therefore deduce that they both describe the same truth in their own way. There are crossing points in the diagram that manifest on the Trees as the 12 and 7 paths common to them. In both the Greek and Hebrew Trees the 12 paths correlate with the 12 signs of the zodiac. We can therefore draw the inference that at some deeper level, the 12 spiritual disciplines apply to both. This tells us that the same minimum standard of behaviour works in each case. The 7 paths both correlate to the 7 planets and we can infer that the ascent of the soul can be achieved by either system. The most obvious difference is that although the remaining paths correlate with Alchemy, there are only 3 such paths on the Hebrew Tree (Air, Fire, Water) whereas the Greek Tree has all 5 (Aether, Air, Fire, Water, Earth). The real difference emerges from realising that this difference in the number of paths results in a difference in the internal structure of the Tree. The best example is that on the Hebrew Tree there are 8 paths to Tiferet whereas on the Greek Tree there are 6 paths to Goodness:
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What is the significance of this difference? To answer that question we have to consider the way in which the number 8 appears in the scriptures. For example Jesus says, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!……", 8 times in Matthew 23:13-36. This is a clear reference to the Hebrew Tree because he is describing behaviour that is the opposite of what is required in order to activate Tiferet properly. To help us understand the point, let us borrow from the Lord Buddha and his Noble Eightfold Way: 1 Right understanding. 2 Right motives. 3 Right speech. 4 Right action. 5 Right means of livelihood.
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6 Right endeavour. 7 Right attention. 8 Right contemplation. The 8 paths to Tiferet are the 8 ways of right conduct, or the Noble Eightfold Way. If we act in the right way, we shall activate all 8Pharisees paths to (and Tiferet properly. However if we act as the scribes and don’t we?), then we are behaving in the opposite manner and we simply cannot activate Tiferet correctly. The consequences are all around us in our everyday life. What about the Greek Tree with its 6 paths to Goodness? Jesus says, "Woe unto you….", 6 times in Luke 11;42-52. Thus a subtly different point is being made in apparently the same form. It still has to do with our behaviour but our attention is now being drawn to the consequences in terms of our fate. Remember this diagram? It represents the fate we create by our own actions.
At the centre of merciless and implacable fate, there exists the mystery of the forgiveness of sins as the key that unlocks us from its prison bars. Who is the source of forgiveness? He that looks at us directly in the eye and says "Woe unto you!" On the 91
Christ Journey this is the place of the Transfiguration and hence the place of the fundamental change that we must make in our own nature. This unlocks the merciless fate that we create for ourselves by not heeding the 6-fold warning of "Woe!" Another difference between the two Trees is that the 22 Major Arcana correlate thepaths 22 paths of the Hebrew Tree butofdothe notTarot match up withwith the 24 of the Greek Tree. That means the Tarot cannot be used in conjunction with the Greek Tree. This brings into focus the true nature of the Tarot cards. Fundamentally they are a series of ikons that are connected to each other by the internal logic and relationship of the Tarot system. What then is the function of ikons? They are doorways to the next level of reality because we can use our imagination to project ourselves through them and have direct experience of the other side. Are there ikons connected with the Greek Tree? Certainly and we have already seen 10 of them in the Christ Journey. The challenge is to identify 24 ikons from the scriptures to fit the 24 paths. This is the subject of a further series of articles. Thus the internal structure of the Greek and Hebrew Trees and the differences and similarities between them, can give us a clue to the meaning of the scriptures. If you look at the spiral diagram again, it provides the analogy of how the two Trees interact. That is an important insight and the guide to future research. Happy reading.
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